This season, he hit double-digit Home Run for the first time since his rookie year.

After graduating from college and working in the corporate world, Isami Nomura joined Fukuoka Softbank Hawks as the fourth pick in the 2021 draft. He hit 10 Home Run and stolen base 10 bases in his first year, but from the following year, his batting average slumped to below single digits for two consecutive years. This season, with his life on the line, he played in a career-high 126 games, posting a career-high batting average of .271, Home Run, and 18 stolen base. What changes in his batting were behind this leap? Let's use data to dig deeper.

Despite his small size, he boasts extraordinary punching power.

Nomura's appeal lies in the long hits he hits with his powerful swing, as he has been hitting double-digit Home Run since his rookie year. In terms of HR/OF, which indicates the percentage of outfield flies that become home run, he is ranked fourth among Pacific League fielder this season, recording figures that are comparable to those of the league's top sluggers.

This season, he has been actively swinging at high pitch.

When we look at Nomura's batting approach, we see that his swing rate at pitch high this season has increased. Generally, pitch pitched high are easier for hitter to angle the ball, increasing the chances of it resulting in a long hit. Until last season, Nomura's high swing rate was roughly the same as the league average, but this season it has risen significantly to 63.1%. This season, he has been seen swinging more aggressively at balls that are more likely to result in a long hit.

While the average remains high, there is room for improvement.

As a result of his aggressive swing, Nomura posted a high batting average of .349 against pitch pitched high this season. While he recorded many hits, the percentage of balls hit high that became outfield flies was only 45.1%, below the league average. Many of the balls that became hits were line drive drives, and the percentage of pop fly was higher than average. As mentioned above, Nomura has a relatively high rate of turning outfield flies into home run. Looking ahead to next season, if he can reduce the number of missed hits against high pitch and hit the ball at a more appropriate angle, the percentage of outfield flies will increase, leading to an increase in the number of Home Run.

He has performed well compared to past utility players.

So far, we've focused on his hitting, but when talking about Nomura, we can't leave out his versatility. This season, starting line-up 72 games at short stop and 13 games each at second baseman and third baseman. Since early spring, amid a series of injuries to key players, he has responded to the various assignments made by management. In Pacific League since 2010, there have been four players who have started 10 or more starting line-up at all three positions in the same season, but Nomura's performance this season was particularly outstanding. Looking back, players who combine power and speed while also being able to play multiple infield positions are extremely rare.

This season, Nomura recorded his career-high performance in the regular season and also showed impressive performance in the postseason. He hit the winning home run in Game 5 of the SMBC Japan Series 2025, helping the team win the Japan Series for the first time in five years. On Saturday, November 15th and Sunday, November 16th, he will be competing in the Ragusa Samurai Japan Series 2025, for which he was selected for the national team for the first time, and we are sure he will be able to fully demonstrate his talents on the international stage.

*All figures in the text and tables are as of the end of the 2025 season.

Text and Data Stadium