Makoto Imaoka

Makoto Imaoka (今岡 真訪, Imaoka Makoto, real name: 今岡 誠, born September 11, 1974), nicknamed "Makochan", is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball from 1997 to 2012 for the Hanshin Tigers and Chiba Lotte Marines.

Makoto Imaoka 今岡 真訪
Infielder / Coach
Born: (1974-09-11) September 11, 1974 Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan
Batted: Right Threw: Right
NPB debut
April 8, 1997, for the Hanshin Tigers
Last NPB appearance
June 5, 2011, for the Chiba Lotte Marines
NPB statistics
Batting average	.279
Hits	1,284
RBI	594
Home runs	122
Teams
As player Hanshin Tigers (1997–2009) Chiba Lotte Marines (2010–2012) As coach Chiba Lotte Marines (2012, 2018–2021) Hanshin Tigers (2016–2017, 2023–2024)
Career highlights and awards
5× NPB All-Star (1998, 2002–2005) Golden Glove Award (2003) 3× Best Nine Award (2002–2003, 2005) Central League Batting Champion (2003) Central League RBI Champion (2005) Japan Series Champion (2010)
Medals Representing Japan Men's Baseball Summer Olympics Atlanta 1996 Team Competition Intercontinental Cup Havana 1995 Team Competition

Playing career

Imaoka spent several uneventful seasons in the Japanese professional leagues before being chosen as the leadoff batter by Senichi Hoshino, who managed the Hanshin Tigers from 2002 to 2004. Imaoka won the batting title in 2003 with a .340 batting average, and his team won the Central League pennant the same year. He had previously played shortstop and second base, but was converted to third base in 2004. He continued his hitting prowess, and led the league with 147 RBI in 2005. He fell into a huge slump in 2006, and missed half of the season due to injuries.

He won a silver medal playing for the Japanese national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics before entering the Japanese professional leagues.

Coaching career

Imaoka spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons as the hitting coach for the Hanshin Tigers. On October 14, 2024, Hanshin announced that Imaoka was leaving the team.

Career statistics

SEASON	TEAM	Squad number	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG
1997	T	7	98	252	18	63	11	1	2	20	1	.250
1998			133	471	48	138	20	3	7	44	6	.293
1999			128	457	36	115	11	1	6	39	4	.252
2000			40	113	8	24	5	0	1	2	0	.212
2001			123	400	36	107	15	0	4	40	3	.268
2002			122	505	46	160	40	0	15	56	0	.317
2003			120	485	67	165	35	1	12	72	1	.340
2004			138	572	87	175	29	0	28	83	0	.306
2005			146	559	71	156	26	2	29	147	1	.279
2006			59	204	16	45	3	2	7	29	1	.220
2007			85	323	23	90	8	0	4	24	0	.279
2008			55	169	15	29	3	0	7	29	0	.172
2009			23	30	0	4	2	0	0	2	0	.133
2010	M	2	26	44	3	10	2	0	0	6	0	.227
2011			13	23	2	3	1	0	0	1	0	.130
Total			1309	4607	476	1284	211	10	122	594	17	.279

External links

• Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)