Seven Olympic gold medalists are among the players awarded Gold Gloves by Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the 2021 season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix Buffaloes) was voted the best defensive player amongst the Pacific League pitchers. The other gold medalists are catcher Takuya Kai (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks), shortstop Sosuke Genda (Saitama Seibu Lions), who in Tokyo served as a backup infielder, and center fielder Yuki Yanagita (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks).
Yamamoto, Kai and Genda also represented Japan at the WBSC Premier12 2019.
The Pacific League also announced that the 2022 season will open on 25 March 2022. Each participating club will play a 143-game regular season.
Second baseman Ryosuke Kikuchi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp), shortstop Hayato Sakamoto (Tokyo Yomiuri Giants) and outfielder Seiya Suzuki (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) are the gold medalists amongst the Central League gold glovers.
Sakamoto starred for Japan in both editions of the WBSC Premier12. Kikuchi and Suzuki, the tournament MVP, featured on the WBSC Premier12 2019 roster.
Gold glove catcher Yuhei Nakamura represented Japan at the WBSC Premier12 2015.
NPB will hold the 2021 season Awards Ceremony on 15 December.
