Takahiro Norimoto
Born:
12/17/1990 (Age: 33)
Bats:
Right
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Acquisition Period:
2nd Rd., 2012 NPB Draft (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles)
Entry Point: 4 Yr College
Entry Point: 4 Yr College
Report Info
| Evaluator: | Dave DeFreitas |
| Report Date: | October 5th, 2016 |
| Dates Seen: | 10/2 |
| Level: | MLB |
| Affiliate: | Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles - NPB Japan |
| MLB Team: | N/A |
Physical Description
Strong, thick lower half; squared shoulders with some present upper-body strength.
Mechanical Notes
Full windup, deliberate. Some drop-and-drive; gets full extension with head wack. Lands soft, does not spin off. Finishes in good fielding position.
| MLB ETA | Future Floor | Future Ceiling | Realistic Role | Risk | 2018 | 50 | 60 | Role 60: #3 Starter | Moderate |
|---|
| Pitch | Present | Future | Sitting | Max | Comments |
| Fastball | |||||
| Fastball | 60 | 60 | 90-93 | 94 | Late life; tail, run to both sides. Stays on plane for the most part with occasional turnover sink to arm side. Locates to corners, but will have misses run back over the plate. Changes eye level; will throw it up in zone with purpose. |
| Late life; tail, run to both sides. Stays on plane for the most part with occasional turnover sink to arm side. Locates to corners, but will have misses run back over the plate. Changes eye level; will throw it up in zone with purpose. | |||||
| Curveball | |||||
| Curveball | 45 | 50 | 69-72 | 72 | 12-to-6 breaker with big shape, starts early. Uses early in the count, but can dial up some snap & finish to make it more competitive when ahead. Can use in the zone. |
| 12-to-6 breaker with big shape, starts early. Uses early in the count, but can dial up some snap & finish to make it more competitive when ahead. Can use in the zone. | |||||
| Slider | |||||
| Slider | 60 | 60 | 79-84 | 86 | 3/4 break, tight rotation. Out pitch, feel to change shape and will use to both RHH and LHH; feel to use back-door. Locates in the zone and will take hitters out of the zone for put-away. |
| 3/4 break, tight rotation. Out pitch, feel to change shape and will use to both RHH and LHH; feel to use back-door. Locates in the zone and will take hitters out of the zone for put-away. | |||||
| ChangeUp | |||||
| ChangeUp | 55 | 55 | 79-86 | 86 | Circle fade, good arm action. Will get some push at times and have it float up and away, but shows some bottom for put-away. |
| Circle fade, good arm action. Will get some push at times and have it float up and away, but shows some bottom for put-away. | |||||
| Forkball | |||||
| Forkball | 60 | 60 | 82-85 | 85 | Out pitch "B"; hard, late bottom; arm action really sells it. Confidence with it, will use to RHH and LHH, but is primary weapon vs. LHH. |
| Out pitch "B"; hard, late bottom; arm action really sells it. Confidence with it, will use to RHH and LHH, but is primary weapon vs. LHH. | |||||
| Overall Command | |||||
| Overall Command | 45 | 55 | |||
| Overall Control | |||||
| Overall Control | 55 | 60 | |||
Player Video
MiLB Stats
Overall Summary
#3 starter with a chance for above-average command of three plus pitches. Aggressive approach, attacks the zone and looks to establish the fastball early. Gets swing and miss with the slider and forkball, and has an extra gear when challenged. Feel to change shape on the slider. Fastball will miss out over the plate at times, and he gets away with some mistakes in the zone, but is a plus athlete and has shown the ability to throttle up/back and make adjustments. Does not walk many, will challenge guys and very comfortable using the Sld, Fk and Chg in fastball counts. Not being overly challenged in the NPB right now; will give up some contact because he is around the zone so much. Needs to show better fastball command in and out of the zone to reach ceiling. See him on a very similar track to Mashahiro Tanaka (RHP, Yankees). Fields position well, has body control and is accurate throwing to bases. Head whack and effort level a concern in the past, but has dialed it back recently and the stuff is still plus. Compares well to Sonny Gray (RHP, Athletics) at the major league level.
