While growing in Japan, Mizuki Akatsuka, who is naturally right -handed, began throwing baseball balls with both arms after his father saw a football game and took note of the players kicking with both legs.
His dad thought it could be an advantage.
It was not until the high school that Akatsuka tried to “change their launch” in a game.
Fast advance until today, and the 27 -year -old continues to launch with his right and left hands.
The switch batters are common, that is, the batters that hit from each side of the Home plate. However, Ambidieter launchers are extremely rare In baseball. There have only been a handful of people to do so in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB). There are specific rules for ambitious pitchers.
Akatsuka plays for the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers of the Intecount Baseball League (IBL), and the League was recently appointed launcher of the week.
Since he arrived in North America in 2022 of a Japanese professional league, he has played two seasons at the Frontier League in the United States, then last year at the IBL with Hamilton.
Speaking through a translator, who is also his teammate, Yuri O’Connor Yokoyama, Akatsuka says he does nothing more consistently with both hands, but there was a time when he did.
“Just to have a better feeling … He practiced to eat and write from his left hand,” said O’Connor Yokoyama.
Akatsuka says his speed is higher with his dominant right hand. Launches the same number of different launches, four, with both.
“Each league in which he has played, has to choose which hand he will throw and finish in the bat with that hand. Until that rule existed, you could change hands every throw, so he was practicing changing his hands every time.”
Akatsuka uses a personalized six fingers, so you can change hand in hand.
“Basically, there is no little finger … Each side basically has a thumb. It’s like thinking about it as if you had two gloves on top of each other, stack them on top of each other,” said Akatsuka, through the translator O’Connor Yokoyama.
Akatsuka believes that his game and mentality are better in North America, compared to Back Home.
“In Japan, they are very focused on moving like a team, playing as a team and things like that. Instead of North America, it is very individualized, so if you are wrong, it is in you. In Japan, if a person is wrong, it is in the team.”
O’Connor Yokoyama, who is also a pitcher in Barnstormers, says that Akatusuka’s ability to change the glove from one hand to the other is soft, along with his delivery to each side.
“If you play with him, you don’t realize when you change your hands because it looks very natural. Most people, you can say if they are throwing from the wrong side, but you can’t say what side is your right side, you will suddenly change and not even notes that you are throwing from the other arm.
‘Two hands’ is ‘unique’
Akatsuka is “certainly unique in its kind,” says Harry Muir, the general manager of the Barnstormers.
“I’ve been throwing all my life with one hand, and that has proven to be quite difficult,” Muir told CBC News.
According to Muir, “two hands”, as the team “affectionately” calls it, has fit well with the organization and is an extremely hard worker who takes his trade seriously.
“This guy is good enough to compete in this league with both [arms]”He added.
“Seeing it as a pitcher, it cannot be said because of its mechanics if it is really right -handed or left, its mechanics is identical, it is quite incredible.”
