Leones sign Japanese pitcher Kazuto Taguchi

Japanese southpaw Kazuto Taguchi switched from starter to reliever a number of years into his Nippon Professional Baseball career, but the Leones of Ponce will look for him to bolster their starting rotation.

By THE STAR STAFF

Leones of Ponce general manager Edwin Rodríguez announced Wednesday the signing of Japanese left-handed pitcher Kazuto Taguchi as a new member of the team’s pitching staff for the 2025-26 Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC by its initials in Spanish) season.

Taguchi, 30, is a veteran of Japanese baseball with experience in the Yomiuri Giants and Yakult Swallows organizations, both in Nippon Professional Baseball.

In the 2025 season, the starter-turned-reliever posted a 1-1 record with a 3.27 ERA in 48 appearances. Over his 12-season career, Taguchi has a 58-64 record, with 47 saves in 1,092.1 innings pitched, allowing 1,037 hits, 448 runs (54 unearned), 97 home runs, and 324 walks, along with 888 strikeouts and a 1.25 WHIP. His career ERA is 3.25.

“Kazuto Taguchi debuted in the Japanese Major Leagues at the age of 18. Since then, he has had a successful 12-season career at that level,” Rodríguez said. “In 2016 and 2017, as a starter, he won 10 and 13 games in consecutive years. Then, upon converting to a reliever, he earned 33 saves in 2023. Now, as a free agent, he seeks to return to his role as a starter, and in that capacity, he will be participating with the Leones of Ponce.”

The general manager announced that Taguchi will remain with the team until mid-December, with the commitment to make at least seven starts, which represents a normal workload for a starting pitcher in the winter league.

The Leones (Lions) will open the 2025-26 season on Friday, Nov. 7, when they host the Indios (Indians) of Mayagüez at Francisco “Paquito” Montaner Stadium, starting at 7:21 p.m.