Future Watch: Shogo Akiyama Baseball Cards, Cincinnati Reds – Shogo Akiyama was signed by the Cincinnati Reds in January of 2020 to a three-year deal. He is a 32-year-old outfielder who had a solid career with the Seibu Lions in the Japanese Pacific League.
Akiyama is an outfielder who plays with passion. In 2019, while in Japan, he hit 20 home runs with 62 RBI and a .303 batting average in 143 games. His career numbers in Japan are impressive. In parts of nine seasons, he hit .301, with 1,405 hits, 116 home runs, 516 RBI with 112 steals. He wasn’t a superstar, but he was a very good player with a decent following.
In a crowded outfield in Cincinnati, Akiyama played in left field and center field. He had 155 at-bats, only hit .245 but had nine RBI and seven steals. Towards the end of the season, he was leading off and had a .453 on-base percentage in September. The potential is there as a lefty in the small Great American Ballpark. Some home runs should come next year.
Akiyama was named as a Gold Glove finalist for left fielders. That’s quite the honor for an MLB rookie.
Here’s a look at Akiyama’s amazing fielding:
There are plenty of North American rookie cards to choose from, including Topps Triple Threads, Chrome and Gold Label.
Collectors should be on him while his price is low. Based on the last month of the season and his good Japanese career, he is going to catch on and his goal for this upcoming season is to be a regular. There are a lot of Japanese baseball card collectors who will want his cards as well.
Future Watch: Shogo Akiyama Baseball Cards, Cincinnati Reds – Stats
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 32 | CIN | NL | 54 | 183 | 155 | 16 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 34 | .245 | .357 | .297 | .654 | 76 | 46 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | *78/HD | |
| 1 Yr | 54 | 183 | 155 | 16 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 34 | .245 | .357 | .297 | .654 | 76 | 46 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 549 | 465 | 48 | 114 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 21 | 9 | 75 | 102 | .245 | .357 | .297 | .654 | 76 | 138 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Future Watch: Shogo Akiyama Baseball Cards, Cincinnati Reds – More Resources
- Shogo Akiyama MLB.com Player Profile
- Shogo Akiyama – Secondary Market Pricing
- Beckett Card Catalog – Shogo Akiyma Baseball Cards
Future Watch: Shogo Akiyama Baseball Cards, Cincinnati Reds – Image Gallery
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