Hamilton sign IBL's first switch pitcher Mizuki Akatsuka

Hamilton, ON – The Hamilton Cardinals are excited to announce the addition of switch-pitcher Mizuki Akatsuka to our roster for the upcoming 2024 season.

Mizuki, who is originally from Gifu, Japan, is one of the rare pitchers in the sport capable of effectively throwing with both his right and left arms, offering a unique tactical flexibility on the mound.

After playing baseball in Japan and attending Rikkyo University in Tokyo, Mizuki took his talents to the Frontier League in North America. Throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he pitched for Empire State and New Jersey.

“Mizuki gives us flexibility and options that we’re excited to explore,” said George Halim, Hamilton Cardinals General Manager. “It was a no-brainer to pick up two import arms for the price of one.”

In his Frontier League tenure, Mizuki appeared in 25 games, started four, and racked up 82 innings. He struck out batters at an impressive rate—6.0 strikeouts per nine innings in 2022 and 5.1 in 2023. Moreover, his time with the Japan Islanders in the Empire League showcased his potential, with a 2.92 ERA over 24 innings in 2022 and nine scoreless innings in 2023 before his recall.

The Cardinals first home game is on Friday May 17th at 7:30pm against the Guelph Royals. Tickets are now available at CardinalsTickets.ca and the game will be available live on Cable14Now.com

About the Hamilton Cardinals

The Hamilton Cardinals Baseball Club are a member of Canada’s top independent baseball league, the Intercounty Baseball League. The over 100-year old summer league is one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world. The Cardinals were founded in 1958 and play their home games out of Bernie Arbour Stadium at 1100 Mohawk Rd E in Hamilton, Ontario. For more information visit: https://www.theibl.ca & https://www.iblcardinals.ca