The baseball world has a type. Usually, when you think of a dominant, triple-digit-touching ace, you picture a guy who looks like a literal skyscraper. Think Randy Johnson at 6'10" or even Tyler Glasnow at 6'8". Then there is Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The Los Angeles Dodgers spent $325 million on a pitcher who doesn't even clear the six-foot mark. Honestly, it's wild. People see him standing next to Shohei Ohtani and immediately start Googling the same question.
How tall is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, exactly?
Let’s get the official numbers out of the way. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is 5 feet 10 inches tall. In metric terms, that is roughly 178 centimeters. He weighs about 176 pounds. In a league where the average pitcher stands around 6'3", he is a massive outlier. Basically, he is the same height as the average guy you'd see at a grocery store, yet he’s out here carving up the best hitters on the planet.
Why does everyone care so much?
Because height is supposed to be a "cheat code" in pitching. Taller pitchers usually have longer limbs. Longer limbs mean a release point closer to the plate. This makes a 95 mph fastball feel like 100 mph to a hitter. But Yamamoto doesn't have that natural leverage. He has to find his power elsewhere.
The "undersized" label is a bit of a myth
It’s kinda funny how we call 5'10" "small." In any other walk of life, it's perfectly normal. But in MLB, it puts him in a rare club. He's often compared to Tim Lincecum, another "undersized" righty who won back-to-back Cy Youngs.
However, Yamamoto’s build is different. He isn't wiry or lanky. He's incredibly sturdy. If you look at his 2025 stats—12 wins, 8 losses, and a stellar 2.49 ERA—it’s clear his stature isn't holding him back. In fact, some scouts argue his height is actually a secret weapon. Because he is shorter, his release height is lower (around 5.5 feet). This creates a "flat" approach angle on his fastball. To a hitter, it looks like the ball is rising as it enters the zone. It’s a nightmare to track.
Breaking down the mechanics of a "human slingshot"
You've probably heard the term "kinetic chain" if you follow baseball nerds on Twitter. Yamamoto is the poster child for it. Since he doesn't have the massive levers of a 6'6" pitcher, he uses his entire body as a whip.
- No heavy lifting: Unlike most MLB pitchers who live in the weight room, Yamamoto famously avoids traditional heavy lifting. He thinks it makes his muscles too stiff.
- Flexibility is king: He spends hours on "BC Exercises"—a Japanese training method focused on internal organ health, flexibility, and fluid movement.
- The Yoga-like routine: He does bridge poses, handstands, and even throws javelins. Yes, javelins. It helps him keep his shoulder mobile and his arm speed elite.
His delivery is so efficient that he recorded a 96% kinetic-chain efficiency. That's basically unheard of. It means almost every ounce of energy he generates from the ground actually makes it into the ball. He isn't "muscling" the ball to the plate; he's flowing.
Why his 2025 season changed the conversation
There were so many doubters when he first signed. People said his arm would fall off. They said his frame couldn't handle the workload of a five-man rotation. Then 2025 happened.
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Yamamoto didn't just survive; he dominated. He tossed 173.2 innings and struck out 201 batters. He even won the World Series MVP after an incredible run where he pitched on short rest. That’s the real kicker. The "small" guy was the one showing the most durability when the lights were brightest. He proved that "pitcher size" is often just a proxy for "injury risk," but if your mechanics are perfect, the rules change.
The comparison game: Yamamoto vs. the giants
When he stands next to Yu Darvish (6'5") or Ohtani (6'4"), Yamamoto looks like their younger brother. It’s a hilarious visual. But look at the results.
In the NPB, he won three straight Sawamura Awards (the Japanese Cy Young). He came to the MLB and immediately became an ace. He has a five-pitch mix: a mid-90s heater, a devastating splitter that falls off a table, and that "yo-yo" curveball that looks like it's being dropped from a balcony. He doesn't need to be 6'5" to generate downward tilt when his splitter is that good.
What this means for future pitchers
If you're a young pitcher who isn't hitting a growth spurt, Yamamoto is your North Star. He is living proof that you don't need to be a giant to lead a rotation. The game is shifting. Teams are starting to value "vertical approach angle" and "extension" over raw height.
If you want to emulate his success, stop worrying about the scale or the measuring tape. Focus on your hip mobility. Work on your thoracic spine flexibility. Learn how to use your lower body to drive your delivery. Yamamoto isn't an anomaly because of his height; he's an anomaly because he understands his body better than almost anyone else in the league.
Go watch a slow-motion video of his mechanics. Notice how his front leg stays firm and how his chest moves forward before his arm even starts to accelerate. That’s where the 98 mph comes from. It’s not height. It’s physics.
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Next Steps for Players and Fans:
Analyze your own pitching delivery or the pitchers you watch for "lead leg block" efficiency rather than just looking at their height. If you're looking to improve your own arm speed, prioritize "long toss" and mobility drills over heavy bench presses, as these are the cornerstones of the Yamamoto training philosophy. Keep an eye on his 2026 starts to see if his workload management continues to defy the traditional "small pitcher" fatigue narrative.