About Toyo University Alumni Report:Pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers Shoki Murakami

Pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers
Shoki Murakami

The rising Star of the Tigers is making his grand leap

Shoki Murakami, who joined the Hanshin Tigers from the Toyo University Baseball Club in 2021, is having a fantastic season. Upon entering the professional ranks, Murakami held the titles of best earned run average and best win average for two consecutive years on the farm team (minor league team) but was not given a chance to pitch for the first team. This changed in the Giants game on April 12 of this year, with Murakami featuring the first-team starting pitcher for the first time in two seasons. He threw a perfect game until the seventh inning, not allowing a single runner to reach the base before handing it back to the bullpen. This sensational performance caused a stir in the baseball world. Murakami's run of impressive form continued, conceding no points in 31 sets after the opening game. This achievement was on par with the Central League record, which has not been achieved for 60 years. We spoke with Murakami, currently the focus in baseball.

 

Profile
2021 Department of Information Sciences and Arts, Faculty of Information Sciences and Arts graduate Born in Hyogo Prefecture. Started playing baseball in the first year of elementary school; went on to join the prestigious Chiben Gakuen Senior High School. Displaying his abilities since his first year, he featured in the Koshien three times. He led the team to Spring Koshien glory in his third year as the ace pitcher. After entering Toyo University, Murakami’s perfect pitching until two outs in the ninth inning in a game vs. Asia University contributed to Toyo winning the Tohto University Baseball Spring League. These impressive results led him to win the triple crown for pitchers and be selected for the Best Nine. Murakami entered the professional ranks after being selected in the 5th round by the Hanshin Tigers at the 2020 Nippon Professional Baseball Draft. 

 

Growing Ambition to Turn Pro: Murakami’s Time at Toyo

Toyo University was the first university that reached out to me during my high school days. In my 3rd year at Chiben Gakuen Senior High School, I led the team to victory at Spring Koshien, playing in every game as an ace pitcher. However, Toyo has been interested in me since long before then. I had several offers but decided to enroll at Toyo University on the advice of my high school baseball coach. He told me, “Toyo have
been supporting you since before you started to shine, so they are sure to look after you. Places like that are where you can make the most of your talent.” After entering university, I was immersed in baseball every day. I used to practice after class, and when I returned to the dormitory, I would talk about baseball and play games with my teammates. We spent a lot of time together every day, which naturally brought us closer. As a result, it became easier to communicate with one another, creating an atmosphere where we all enjoyed baseball. Through my time as a student at Toyo University, I was able to develop my character, and I gained the confidence to do it in the world after university. Winning the Tohto University Baseball Spring League as a 3rd year student still sticks with me today. As a senior student, I felt responsible for leading the team, and contributing by winning the league gave me a lot of confidence. Since I was a child, it had always been my dream to become a professional baseball player, but it was that time that turning pro started to become a realistic goal.

 

Small Stature; Big Dreams.

I am 175cm tall, which is not tall for a pro baseball player. My fastball is not particularly quick, so I have worked on my control to overcome powerful batters. It is essential to quickly build a favorable situation for the pitcher pitching in a way where all types of pitch stay on course at all times. It is vital to pitch in a way that confuses batters. Until high school, I threw every pitch with everything I had, as the games are in a tournament format where it is all over if you lose. However, there are spring and fall leagues at university. To stay competitive over the long term, it becomes necessary to pitch while conserving your strength. Learning when to conserve my strength, how to develop effective pitches while conserving strength, and how to use my body throughout the year all contributed to my current style of baseball. For me, the ability to switch gears
mentally is crucial to compete in professional baseball. Naturally, I sometimes feel disappointed when experiencing losses or giving up hits. However, dwelling on it until the next day would affect those around me. Therefore, I make a conscious effort to quickly shift my thinking and only focus on the next game. In baseball, you can easily get consumed by a losing mindset. It’s a daily process of trial and error while receiving advice from many senior players about navigating an entire season and approaching it mentally. I am taking it one game at a time intending to achieve double-digit wins this season. Through the accumulation of this dedication and effort, my dream is to become a famous baseball player with a long career spanning many decades. I believe that diligent determination leads to significant results, whether it’s in sports, academics and hobbies. I hope Toyo students will diligently persevere with something, no matter how small.

 

Selection in the 5th round by the Hanshin Tigers	With teammates before a game (pictured upper center)