Fukuoka тАУ Fukuoka Softbank Hawks outfielder Yuki Yanagita agreed to a ┬е620 million ($5.46 million) annual salary for the 2022 season on Friday, which will make him the highest-paid position player in NPB history.
Yanagita, who banked ┬е610 million last season to equal the record held by outfielder Hideki Matsui, will be in the third year of a seven-year contract with the Pacific League club that also includes performance incentives.
The 33-year-old hit .300 with 28 homers and 80 RBIs in 141 games in 2021 and was also a member of JapanтАЩs gold-winning Olympic baseball team. But the Hawks failed to win back-to-back Pacific League pennants and a fifth straight Japan Series title, finishing fourth in the league.
Current Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles pitcher Masahiro TanakaтАЩs estimated annual salary of ┬е900 million makes him the highest-paid NPB player ever at any position.
Yanagita has been elevated to the position of HawksтАЩ team captain for the 2022 season, with the Fukuoka-based squad looking to make a fresh start under new manager Hiroshi Fujimoto.
тАЬI want to post convincing numbers that will impress everyone. IтАЩm going to aim for a (Japan Series) win only, and I want to toss our manager in the air,тАЭ Yanagita said.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
KEYWORDS
Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, Yuki Yanagita
