Rikuu Nishida
Japanese baseball player (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rikuu Nishida (西田 陸浮, Nishida Rikuu; born May 6, 2001) is a Japanese professional baseball second baseman and outfielder for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2026.
| Rikuu Nishida | |
|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox – No. 51 | |
| Second baseman / Outfielder | |
| Born: May 6, 2001 Hirakata, Japan[1] | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 25, 2026, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics (through June 6, 2026) | |
| Batting average | .222 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 2 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Amateur career
Nishida attended Tohoku High School.[2] He played college baseball at Mt. Hood Community College for two years before transferring to the University of Oregon to play for the Oregon Ducks.[3] During his college baseball career, Nishida would often use a wooden baseball bat instead of a metal one.[4][5] In 2022, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.[6]
Professional career
Nishida was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 11th round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft as the 329th overall pick, receiving a $170,000 signing bonus.[7]
On May 25, 2026, Nishida was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[8][9] When he made his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins on the same day, he became the first Japanese born and raised player to play NCAA Division I baseball in the United States and play in MLB.[10] Nishida went 1-for-3 with a single, and threw out Orlando Arcia at home plate from right field.[11]