Keiichi Hirano (平野恵一, born April 7, 1979) is a Japanese former

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

. He played in

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB) for the

Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team formed as a result of the 2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment by the merger of the Orix BlueWave of Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes of Osaka, Osaka Prefectur ...

and

Hanshin Tigers The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railway ...

from 2002 to 2015. He is currently the manager for the CTBC Brothers of the

Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 20 ...

(CPBL).

Playing career

Hirano played 14 seasons in

(NPB) for the

(2002-2007, 2013-2015) and the

(2008-2012). In his career, Hirano batted .279/.337/.341 with 18 home runs and 263 RBI in 1,260 total games. He was also a 4-time NPB All-Star (2005, 2010-2012), 2-time

Mitsui Golden Glove Award The Mitsui Golden Glove Award, sponsored by Japan's Mitsui Group, is annually awarded to nine fielders in Japan's professional baseball leagues by the Nippon Professional Baseball Association. The players are selected based on votes by TV, radio ...

winner (2010-2011), 2-time Best Nine Award winner (2010-2011) and 1-time Comeback Player of the Year (2008).

Coaching career

Hanshin Tigers

Hirano served as a coach for his former club, the Hanshin Tigers, from 2016 to 2021.

CTBC Brothers

On January 10, 2022, Hirano was hired by the CTBC Brothers of the

(CPBL) to serve as the team's hitting coach and infield coordinator. On May 10, 2023, Hirano shifted to the position of farm director for position players. On December 29, 2023, Hirano was named manager of the Brothers after

Peng Cheng-min Peng Cheng-min, (; born 6 August 1978 in Kaoshiung, Taiwan), is a Taiwanese former baseball player and baseball coach who previously played right fielder, first base and designated hitter for the CTBC Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseba ...

stepped down due to health concerns.

References

External links

1979 births Living people Asian Games bronze medalists for Japan Asian Games medalists in baseball Baseball players at the 2002 Asian Games Hanshin Tigers players Japanese baseball coaches Japanese baseball players Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games Nippon Professional Baseball coaches Nippon Professional Baseball outfielders Nippon Professional Baseball second basemen Orix BlueWave players Orix Buffaloes players Baseball people from Kanagawa Prefecture {{Japan-baseball-infielder-stub