is a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

former professional baseball player who is currently a coach for the

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles The , often shortened as the , are a baseball team based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It has played in Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League since the team's formation in November 2004. The team is owned by the Internet shopping c ...

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). He previously played for the Golden Eagles, Yokohama BayStars/Yokohama DeNA BayStars and

Saitama Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway, wh ...

of NPB.

Career

selected Watanabe with the fifth selection in the . On April 7, 2007, Watanabe made his NPB debut. On October 14, 2019, Watanabe become playing batting coach for the

of NPB. On September 12, 2020, Watanabe announced his retirement after the season, and next day he held press conference.

References

External links

1980 births Living people Baseball people from Ibaraki Prefecture Japanese baseball coaches Japanese baseball players Nippon Professional Baseball coaches Saitama Seibu Lions players Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles players Yokohama BayStars players Yokohama DeNA BayStars players {{Japan-baseball-infielder-stub