Team: | Orix Buffaloes |
Yuma Tongu | |
Number: | 44 |
Position: | Catcher / Infielder |
Birth Date: | 17 November 1996 |
Birth Place: | Bizen, Okayama, Japan |
Bats: | Right |
Throws: | Right |
Debutleague: | NPB |
Debutteam: | Orix Buffaloes |
Debutyear: | 2019 |
Debutdate: | March 29 |
Statleague: | NPB |
Statyear: | 2023 season |
Stat1label: | Batting average |
Stat1value: | .264 |
Stat2label: | Home runs |
Stat2value: | 37 |
Stat3label: | RBIs |
Stat3value: | 112 |
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Awards: |
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is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball. He plays catcher and infielder, specifically on every infield position outside of shortstop.[1] [2]
In elementary school, Tongu was friends and teammates with future Buffaloes teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and at the time, Yamamoto also played catcher, so both played catch with each other.[3]
He is often nicknamed "Yumer", as he chose the number 44 used by former Hankyu Braves foreign slugger Greg "Boomer" Wells. When he picked it, he stated that he wanted to be called that once he lived up to the number 44. Eventually, he also got one of Wells's gloves, which he said he would treat like a family heirloom.