Nishikawa: Rouen Baseball 76’s Japanese Star

With his 1.85 m and 98 kilos, Ryosuke Nishikawa will clearly not go unnoticed in the Huskies dugout. Powerful, explosive and renowned for his impact with the bat, the Japanese slugger perfectly matches the profile sought by the Rouen leaders to strengthen the offensive lineup. Greg Fages, the Huskies’ sports director, was quickly convinced. “ Ryo is a power hitter with a big frame, He has experience in everything that is Japanese baseball. What I really like about Japanese baseball is the immense respect for this sport, the passion, the work ethic and the rigor that they apply to it. It will meet several needs, bring power, consistency and the confidence that a line up needs. Our group is a clever mix of experience and youth and Ryo has the weapons to be the explosive that will boost the offensive machine that we know. All players like to have a guy in the line-up who can get you the ball with a flick of the stick to change a match. We know that Rouen, whether it is our players or our public, we like to vibrate, we need to ignite”.

Aged 23, Nishikawa is preparing to have his very first experience abroad, after having played for five professional seasons in Japan. Originally from Osaka, he cut his teeth in the minor leagues of the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball), the equivalent of the Japanese MLB.
Drafted in the 5th round in 2020 by the Chiba Lotte Marines, he spent three seasons in the Japan Eastern League before joining Kufu Hayate, residents of the Western League, in 2024.
Professional assessment? 453 games, 1402 at-bats, 25 home runs, 144 RBIs and a .212 batting average.

A REPUTATION FORGED VERY EARLY

Ryosuke Nishikawa started playing baseball in elementary school. At this age, he is already over 1.76 m tall, an extraordinary size that quickly attracts attention. His power made people talk about it very early, notably thanks to home runs sent beyond the fences of the Tokyo Dome and the Meiji Jingu stadium, legendary venues of Japanese baseball.

In high school, he established himself as the starting fourth hitter and exceeded .500 at the plate during his sophomore year. He participates in the prestigious Koshien tournament, a showcase for Japanese high school baseball, even if the adventure is short. This does not prevent recruiters from betting on him: he is selected in the 2020 draft, while he is still in his third year of high school.
His high school statistics reflect his offensive profile with 44 games, 139 at-bats, 56 hits, 10 home runs, 54 RBIs, 29 walks and only 8 strikeouts.

AN AGGRESSIVE AND ASSUME HITTER

Asked about his style, Nishikawa defines himself simply: “I hit hard from the first ball. »An offensive state of mind that fits perfectly with the expectations of the Huskies. This winter, the Japanese intends to concentrate mainly on his batting work, with a clear objective: “Train hard to improve my chances.

AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON FOR HUSKIES

Although he still knows little about French baseball, Nishikawa already knows what to expect: “ Players from different countries play it. »
As for his vision of Japanese baseball, it is unambiguous: “ It’s a very technical sport, where everyone can play. » With his power hitter profile, his professional experience in Japan and his desire to take a new step, Ryosuke Nishikawa arrives in Rouen with a clear label: that of a hitter capable of changing a match with one swing.

An offensive bet taken on by the Huskies… and a player to watch very closely during his at-bats.