Contract of Second Baseman Kobe Kato Purchased by Seattle Mariners
July 12, 2024 - Atlantic League (AtL)
York Revolution News Release
York Revolution second baseman Kobe Kato
(York Revolution)
(York, Pa.): The contract of York Revolution second baseman Kobe Kato has been purchased by the Seattle Mariners, it was announced today by club officials. Kato becomes the sixth member of the 2024 Revs to have his contract purchased and the fourth by a Major League club.
The 25-year-old batted .255 with seven home runs, 14 doubles, two triples, and 27 RBI in 64 games with York this season. He led the league in walks for much of his time with York and currently ranks fourth with 46 bases on balls contributing to a .385 on-base percentage. He has also been among league leaders in stolen bases throughout the season, having gone a franchise record 27 consecutive stolen base attempts without being caught.
Kato was in the middle of several big moments during the Revs' record-setting run to a first half division title. His Memorial Day walk-off home run vs Staten Island propelled the team into first place to stay. Kato also led off a pair of games with homers including a two-home run game during the team's first road series of the season, April 30 at Gastonia. That was part of an early-season 21-game on-base streak for Kato who also reached safely in each of his final 32 home games at WellSpan Park while batting .339 with a .497 on-base percentage on that stretch, the longest home on-base streak in the Atlantic League this season. He played in all but two games and started all but three games prior to his transfer to Seattle.
Defensively, Kato was a stalwart for one of the league's top units posting a .974 fielding percentage in 64 starts at second base.
The Hawaii native signed with York just before the start of spring training after beginning his third pro season in the Houston Astros organization at Double-A Corpus Christi. The left-handed hitter was originally a 13th round draft pick of the Astros in 2021 following a standout career at University of Arizona.
Kato joins 1B Mason Martin (Los Angeles Angels), infielder Jamari Baylor (Toronto Blue Jays), RHP Chris Vallimont (Los Angeles Dodgers), RHP Moises Lugo (Acereros de Monclova), and 1B David Washington (Saraperos de Saltillo) as members of the 2024 club whose contracts have been purchased. He is also the 52nd player in Revs history to have his contract purchased by a Major League club in-season.
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 York Revolution second baseman Kobe Kato |
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