Japanese pitcher Shogo Nakashima, who is currently playing in the Dutch hoofdklasse for De Glaskoning Twins has signed a contract with the Sydney BlueSox of the Australian Baseball League for the upcoming Season.
Nakashima, who pitched for the Yakult Swallows of the NPB joined De Glaskoning Twins shortly before the Dutch hoofdklasse season started. He has one of the lowest ERAs of the Dutch hoofdklasse with 1.57 in eleven appearances and two starts. So far he did not allow any home runs and is in the top five of various categories: number of hits allowed (fourth spot with only nineteen), runs allowed (fourth with seven), earned runs allowed (fourth with five), walks given up (shared fourth place with eight), doubles allowed (second with two), and home runs allowed (shared first place with zero).
Shogo had a cup of coffee with the Yakult Swallows’ NPB team but spent most of the time with their Ni-Gun (minor league) team.
Next to Shogo another player from the Dutch hoofdklasse will join the Sydney BlueSox. Infielder Dwayne Kemp of Curaçao Neptunus will join the team as well. Kemp is a very versatile player who can play both middle infield positions and third base. Currently he is leading the Dutch hoofdklasse with a batting average of .402.
Kemp isn’t the first Dutch born player who joins an ABL club. He was preceded by Didi Gregorius, Bas Nooij and Loek van Mil.
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