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

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. Over his 16-year career, he played professional baseball in Japan, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, and South Korea. He was used primarily as a starting pitcher. Kobayashi graduated from famed baseball-focused PL Gakuen High School in

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

, where he was a teammate of

Kosuke Fukudome is a retired Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He previously played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2012, primarily with the Chicago Cubs and had a long spanning career in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Chunichi D ...

, who played for the Chicago Cubs in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

. Drafted in the fifth round of the 1997 draft by the

Chiba Lotte Marines The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by Lotte Holdings Co., Ltd. History The Marines franchise began in 1950 as the Mainichi Orions, an inaugural ...

, Kobayashi played five seasons for their minor league "ni-gun" affiliate, from 1998 to 2002, but his 6.39 ERA prevented him from being promoted to the NPB club. Froom 2003 to 2005, he was on the "team staff" of the

Chunichi Dragons The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chūbu region of Japan. The team plays in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. They have won the Central League pennant nine times (most recently in 2011) ...

, but never appeared in a game. In 2006, Kobayashi left Japan for Canada to play for the

Calgary Vipers The Calgary Vipers were a professional baseball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were part of the Western Division of the independent North American League. The Vipers played all of their home games at Foothills Stadium. Previously, ...

of the independent North American League,Calgary Vipers News Release
"Vipers Roster Set,"
''Our Sports Central'' (May 17, 2006). going 0–2 with a 5.32 ERA for the season. Returning to Japan in 2007, Kobayashi played for the

Kagawa Olive Guyners The are a professional baseball team in the Shikoku Island League Plus of Japan. Established in 2005, the Guyners play at Olive Stadium in the Kagawa Prefectural Baseball Complex in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. They won the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2 ...

of the independent

Shikoku Island League The is an independent professional baseball league on the island of Shikoku in Japan. (None of the teams in Nippon Professional Baseball are based in Shikoku.) The league currently has four teams, and has its league headquarters in Takamatsu. Th ...

. Appearing mostly as a reliever, he had a 2.59 ERA in just over 31 innings pitched. Kobayashi had his greatest success in 2008–2009, playing for the

Brother Elephants A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-familia ...

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 ...

. In 2008 he compiled a 10–6 record, with a 2.66

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

and 110 strikeouts. He was also the Player of the Month of October 2008. To top it off, he won the 2008 CPBL Gold Glove award. Kobayashi moved on to Mexico in 2010–2010, first playing for the

Chileros de Xalapa The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country. The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five te ...

and Gallos de Santa Rosa in the Liga Invernal Veracruzana Mexican winter league, and then the Marineros de Ensenada of

Liga Norte de México The Liga Norte de México (''LNM'') (English: ''Northern League of México'') is a professional baseball league located in the Northwest of Mexico in the states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. Formerly known as Liga Norte d ...

. He was selected to play in the 2011 LNM All-Star Game. Kobayashi moved to South Korea in 2012 to pitch as a closer for the

Goyang Wonders The Goyang Wonders ( ko, 고양 원더스) was a South Korean professional baseball team based in Goyang. They were a member of the unaffiliated Freedom Division of the KBO Futures League, and played games from 2012 to 2014. The team was managed b ...

of the

KBO Futures League KBO Futures League () or Korea Baseball Futures League is South Korea's second level of baseball, below the KBO League. It serves as a farm league with the purpose to develop professional players on-demand to play in the KBO League. The league ...

. He played for the Wonders from 2012 to 2013, compiling an 8–5 record with a 2.95 ERA and 17 saves. After his playing career was over, Kobayashi opened a baseball academy in

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...

.TOKUNAGA, TARO
"Coronavirus puts global spotlight on Taiwanese baseball,"
''Japan Times'' (May 24, 2020).

Career statistics

NPB Eastern League (Japan)

North American League (Ind. Canadian)

Shikoku Island League The is an independent professional baseball league on the island of Shikoku in Japan. (None of the teams in Nippon Professional Baseball are based in Shikoku.) The league currently has four teams, and has its league headquarters in Takamatsu. Th ...
(Ind. Japan)

CPBL 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 2 ...
(Taiwan)

Liga Invernal Veracruzana (Mex. Winter Baseball)

Liga Norte de México The Liga Norte de México (''LNM'') (English: ''Northern League of México'') is a professional baseball league located in the Northwest of Mexico in the states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. Formerly known as Liga Norte d ...
(Mex.)

KBO Futures League KBO Futures League () or Korea Baseball Futures League is South Korea's second level of baseball, below the KBO League. It serves as a farm league with the purpose to develop professional players on-demand to play in the KBO League. The league ...
(Freedom Division)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kobayashi, Ryokan 1979 births Living people Baseball people from Fukuoka Prefecture Japanese expatriate baseball players in Canada Japanese expatriate baseball players in Mexico Japanese expatriate baseball players in Taiwan Japanese expatriate baseball players in South Korea Baseball pitchers Chiba Lotte Marines players Calgary Vipers players Brother Elephants players

Career statistics

NPB Eastern League (Japan)

North American League (Ind. Canadian)

Shikoku Island League The is an independent professional baseball league on the island of Shikoku in Japan. (None of the teams in Nippon Professional Baseball are based in Shikoku.) The league currently has four teams, and has its league headquarters in Takamatsu. Th ... (Ind. Japan)

CPBL 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 2 ... (Taiwan)