The two-way player has been a baseball phenomenon for some time now. This year, another two-way player in college baseball may soon need that kind of attention for the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors. That player’s name is Itsuki Takemoto, from Wakayama, Japan.
Last season was Takemoto’s freshman campaign in Honolulu. He was highly anticipated as one of the best players in his high school class, coming out of Japan as a two-way prospect.
Pitching seemed to be the main component of his game this past season. He finished with a 4.59 ERA in 33.1 innings. He struck out 31 batters while allowing an opposing batting average of .230. Takemoto was also mainly a bullpen arm, starting in just two games against Hawai’i Hilo and San Diego State. He also recorded four saves and had a record of 3-0.
Takemoto kicked off his 2024 season on the mound with a bang against the Ole Miss Rebels. He came in relief to pitch the final 3.0 innings. During that stretch, he struck out six Ole Miss batters and gave up just one hit and one walk over that same stretch. This effort was enough to earn him the save and played a big part in getting the series split with the Rebels.
Yes, Takemoto can bat as well. Although his at-bats were limited to just 16 in 2024, he showed flashes of his developing talent. He batted .313, recording five hits. Those hits turned in four RBI and three runs scored by himself. His best hitting performance came against UC-Riverside on May 12, where he went 2-4 with two RBI and two runs.
As time goes on, Hawaii will lose more players, which will give Takemoto more time to shine, as he is sure to do in 2025. The Rainbow Warriors have a dynamic skill set on their hands, and it will be interesting to see how the Japanese prospect develops over the course of time.
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WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
Photo Credit: Itsuki Takemoto sitting at Portland Pickles game. (Photo Courtesy of the Portland Pickles)
