Yoshihisa Hirano
Born:
03/08/1984 (Age: 40)
Bats:
Right
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185
Primary Position: RHRP
Seconday Position: -
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185
Primary Position: RHRP
Seconday Position: -
Acquisition Period:
1st Rd., 2005 NPB Draft (ORIX Buffaloes)
Entry Point: 4 Yr College
Entry Point: 4 Yr College
Report Info
| Evaluator: | Dave DeFreitas |
| Report Date: | July 12th, 2016 |
| Dates Seen: | 5/3, 5/5, 5/7, 6/7, 6/9, 6/15, 6/28 |
| Level: | MLB |
| Affiliate: | ORIX Buffaloes - NPB Japan |
| MLB Team: | N/A |
Physical Description
Slender frame, squared shoulders. Has some lower-half strength, wirey.
Mechanical Notes
All from stretch, with a pronounced hook and wrap in the back. High leg lift with a pause when no runners on base; uses a slide step with runners on; 1.03, 1.10 second delivery times. Stays tall on the back side, creates some angle. Opens the front side early.
| MLB ETA | Future Floor | Future Ceiling | Realistic Role | Risk | 2018 | 40 | 50 | Role 50: Average set-up, 7th inning reliever | High |
|---|
| Pitch | Present | Future | Sitting | Max | Comments |
| Fastball | |||||
| Fastball | 55 | 55 | 89-94 | 95 | Straight with some flat run to both sides. Gets late hop, life in the zone; ride when up. Below-average command; tendency to work up in the zone and have it leak to the arm side. |
| Straight with some flat run to both sides. Gets late hop, life in the zone; ride when up. Below-average command; tendency to work up in the zone and have it leak to the arm side. | |||||
| Slider | |||||
| Slider | 40 | 45 | 79-80 | 80 | Round, big shape. Hardly uses, only saw two in a seven-game look. Get-me-over variety; slows arm. Has thrown a better one in the past and could argue that it gets to fringe average with more use. |
| Round, big shape. Hardly uses, only saw two in a seven-game look. Get-me-over variety; slows arm. Has thrown a better one in the past and could argue that it gets to fringe average with more use. | |||||
| Forkball | |||||
| Forkball | 60 | 60 | 83-86 | 88 | Out pitch, go-to. Best one shows late dive, bottom; arm action really sells it. Will show bigger shape with more tumble. Ability to add/subtract with feel to locate and take hitters out of zone. Swing-and-miss pitch. |
| Out pitch, go-to. Best one shows late dive, bottom; arm action really sells it. Will show bigger shape with more tumble. Ability to add/subtract with feel to locate and take hitters out of zone. Swing-and-miss pitch. | |||||
| Overall Command | |||||
| Overall Command | 40 | 40 | |||
| Overall Control | |||||
| Overall Control | 45 | 45 | |||
MiLB Stats
Overall Summary
Primarily a two pitch reliever with an above-average fastball and some feel with a plus forkball who keeps the ball on the ground and will generate some swing and miss. He has some funk and effort to the arm action and delivery that helps to play up the stuff. The fastball is fairly straight with some flat run; creates decent angle for his size and the velo plays up when he is able to extend and drive the ball down through the zone. He works to both sides ok, but will see the fastball leak to the arm side; gets very hittable out over the plate. Forkball is the separator; has feel to work it both in and out of the zone and shows late bottom for put-away. Will use the Forkball in any count, but tends to back off slightly to locate in the zone and loses some of the swing-and-miss qualities. He has trouble battling back from down in the count; tends to slow things way down with runners on base and does not have the same confident body language when not given a clean inning. Very limited use of slider, so he lacks any kind of wrinkle going away from RHH's; gets predictable. Will have to work in the slider more to be consistently effective in a big league bullpen. Likely not a multi-inning guy. Has been durable in Japan, but some risk/concern regarding the effort and funk in the arm action. Under contract through 2017; safe money has him signing as an international free agent prior to 2018 season. Outside chance that he gets posted this winter; could see $2 million posting fee with contract around $4 million over two years. Profile compares to that of Tony Barnette (RHP, Rangers) at the major league level.
