Chicago Cubs reach deal with outfielder Seiya Suzuki on a 5-year major league contract
CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs agreed to terms on Friday with outfielder Seiya Suzuki on a five-year major league contract, according to a news release from the team. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Suzuki, 27, batted .315 (937-for-2,976) with 182 doubles, 16 triples, 182 home runs and 562 RBI in 902 games spanning nine seasons with the Hiroshima Carp of the Japan Central League, the release states. He recorded a .414 on-base percentage with a .570 slugging mark, good for a .984 OPS, with 82 stolen bases and 486 walks.
Suzuki is a five-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star, a five-time Central League Gold Glove Award winner and a six-time Best-Nine Award recipient, according to the release.
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Starting in 2016 with Hiroshima, Suzuki recorded six-consecutive seasons with at least 25 doubles, 25 home runs and a .300 batting average. He logged an on-base percentage above .400 in five of those campaigns and recorded an OPS over 1.000 four times, the release states. In three Central League seasons since 2019, Suzuki drew 262 walks with 242 strikeouts in 1,659 plate appearances, according to the release.
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 04: Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan looks on against Team Republic of Korea during the semifinals of men's baseball on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on August 04, 2021 in Yokohama, Jap
The right-handed hitting Suzuki in 2021 earned his second Central League batting title in three years, as he hit .317 (138-for-435) with 26 doubles, a career-high 38 home runs and 88 RBI in 132 games for Hiroshima, leading the league with a .433 on-base percentage that contributed to a 1.073 OPS.
Suzuki collected his first Central League batting title in 2019 with a .335 average (167-for-499) to go along with 31 doubles, 28 home runs, 87 RBI and 103 walks compared to 81 strikeouts, according to the release. He led the league in on-base percentage (.453), OPS (1.018) and runs scored (112) while he also amassed a career-best 25 stolen bases.
Suzuki played with Team Japan in the 2020 Summer Olympics, helping the club to a gold medal finish, the release states.
He was selected by Hiroshima in the second round of the 2012 NPB Draft.