Tetsuto Yamada
Tetsuto Yamada is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He was born on July 16, 1992, in Toyooka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. He bats and throws right-handed and made his NPB debut in 2012 with Yakult, where he has played his entire career.
Yamada is known for combining power and speed. In 2015 he won the Central League MVP and led the league in home runs (38) and stolen bases (34), becoming the first player in NPB history to lead in both categories in the same season. He also helped Yakult reach the Japan Series that year and posted strong overall numbers.
A key part of his legacy is the “Triple Three” feat: reaching at least 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases, and a .300 batting average in a season. He accomplished this in 2015, 2016, and 2018, earning the nickname “Mr. Triple Three” for his rare combination of power and speed.
Yamada has been a regular star for Yakult, earning multiple Best Nine Awards and six All-Star selections. He helped Yakult win the 2021 Japan Series and played a pivotal role in the team’s championship run.
Internationally, Yamada has played for Samurai Japan. He helped Japan win the MLB Japan All-Star Series in 2014 and 2018, competed in the WBSC Premier12 in 2015 and 2019, played in the World Baseball Classic in 2017, and was part of the gold-medal-winning team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he earned MVP honors.
Off the field, Yamada signed a seven-year contract after the 2020 season, reportedly worth around 500 million yen, and has served as Yakult’s captain, guiding younger players and leading by example.
Early in life, Yamada grew up in Hyōgo and Osaka, practiced karate and baseball, and attended Riseisha High School, where he showed strong hitting and defensive skills. He was drafted by the Yakult Swallows in 2010 and joined the major league team in 2012.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:09 (CET).