Hirokazu Ibata

Hirokazu Ibata
Hirokazu Ibata
	Ibata with the Yomiuri Giants in 2014
Japan national baseball team – No. 89
	Infielder / Manager
	Born: May 12, 1975; Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
NPB debut
	September 8, 1998, for the Chunichi Dragons
Last NPB appearance
	October 29, 2015, for the Yomiuri Giants
NPB statistics
Games	1896
Batting average	.281
Hits	1,912
Home runs	56
Runs batted in	510
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	As player Chunichi Dragons (1998–2013); Yomiuri Giants (2014–2015); As manager Japan national baseball team (2023–2026); As coach Yomiuri Giants (2016–2018); Japan national baseball team (2019–2023);
Career highlights and awards
	NPB 8× All-Star (2001, 2002, 2005, 2007–2010, 2011); 7× Golden Glove Award (2004–2009, 2012); 5× Best Nine Award (2002, 2004–2007); Asia Series MVP (2007); Japan Series champion (2007); International All-World Baseball Classic Team (2013);

Hirokazu Ibata (Japanese:井端弘和, born May 12, 1975) is a Japanese professional baseball coach and former player in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He was most recently the manager of the Japanese national baseball team, having stepped down from his position following Japan's elimination from the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Baseball career

Ibata played second base for the Yomiuri Giants and short stop for the Chunichi Dragons but is able to play at other positions.

After retiring at the end of the 2015 season, Ibata took up new Giants' manager, Yoshinobu Takahashi's invitation to join his coaching staff.^[1]

^ "Longtime Dragons star Ibata retires at age 40". Japan Times. October 24, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2016.

2013 World Baseball Classic All WBC Team
Catcher	Yadier Molina
Infielders	Edwin Encarnación (1B) Robinson Canó (2B) José Reyes (SS) David Wright (3B)
Outfielders	Nelson Cruz Ángel Pagán Michael Saunders
Designated hitter	Hirokazu Ibata
Pitchers	Nelson Figueroa Kenta Maeda Fernando Rodney

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	Japan
Academics	CiNii