Kyle Higashioka

American professional baseball catcher Kyle Harris Higashioka was born on April 20, 1990, and now plays for the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball. He was formerly a member of the New York Yankees baseball team. In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he also participated as a player for the US national baseball team and won a silver medal for his efforts.

Higashioka made his Major league debut on April 10, 2017. Higashioka made his major league debut in place of a defensive substitution. In a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 16, 2020, Higashioka hit three home runs. As he batted ninth in the batting order, he became the first Yankee to have a three-home run game and the 24th overall. In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Higashioka was a member of the US national baseball team. Higashioka captured Domingo Germán's perfect game on June 28, 2023. In the 13th inning on September 10, 2023, Higashioka recorded his first walk-off hit of the season.

Kyle Higashioka's Personal Information

Kyle Higashioka’s Early Life

Higashioka was a student at Huntington Beach, California's Edison High School. He committed to play collegiate baseball for the California Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley, while still participating in the school's baseball program. However, he was chosen in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB draft by the New York Yankees. Rather than going to college, he signed with the Yankees and received a signing bonus of $500,000.

Higashioka was named Player of the Week after he debuted with the Class AA Eastern League's Trenton Thunder in 2016. During the season, he was promoted to the Class AAA International League's Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. With a .276 batting average, 21 home runs, and 81 runs batted in at the end of the 2016 season, the Yankees signed him to their 40-man roster.

Higashioka was sent to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre by the Yankees as an option at the beginning of the 2017 campaign. In response to Gary Sánchez's injury in 2017, Higashioka was promoted by the Yankees to the main leagues after he appeared in just one game for the RailRiders. On April 10, Higashioka made his major league debut in place of a defensive substitution.

When Sánchez was recalled from the injured list on May 5, he was optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after going 0-for-18 in nine games for the Yankees. On June 16, Higashioka was promoted by the Yankees back to the major leagues. He participated in eight minor league games in August and September after suffering a knee injury and returning to the minors.

Kyle Higashioka’s Personal Life

Alyse Higashioka and Kyle Higashioka are married. To improve communication with his old colleague Masahiro Tanaka and feel more connected to his background, Kyle studied Japanese. Kyle Higashioka has half Japanese heritage. He converses with colleagues from Latin America using Spanish, which she studied in high school as well.

Kyle Higashioka is a member of the Urban Youth Academy. In Compton, California, the first Urban Youth Academy for Major League Baseball was established in 2006. The UYA is a non-profit organization that strives to improve the quality of life in the surrounding communities, teach and educate in Urban America, and establish the benchmark for baseball and softball education.

In 2021, Kyle raised money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation by holding a raffle of his commemorative Memorial Day gear from the game. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) offers funds to hospitalized Special Operations servicemen and their families who have suffered severe combat injuries, as well as help to the surviving children of Special Operations members who die in the line of duty.

Kyle Higashioka’s Family Background

Ted, Kyle Higashioka’s father, is a third-generation Japanese American. In 2017, he was enrolled in mechanical engineering studies at Orange Coast College, fulfilling his promise to his mother, Diane, that he would complete his education.

Ted and Diane Higashioka operate their own company and reside in Huntington Beach. Ted Higashioka is a sales and market navigator for Higashioka Entertainment Group. He started Higashioka Entertainment Group in June 2008 after graduating from California State University with a degree in business administration and science.

Kyle's mother, Diane Gribb Higashioka, owns DGH Background Services. In 1970, she graduated from Cazenovia College with a degree in general sales, merchandising, and related marketing operations. She worked as the crew supervisor at the US Census Bureau for nine months before launching her own company in March 2013. Diane, a mother of two boys, was reared in Pennsylvania and is of Caucasian ancestry.

Kyle Higashioka’s Wife

Kyle Higashioka and Wife. Source - Kyle Higashioka’s Instagram account - @khigashioka

On November 13, 2016, Kyle Higashioka and Alyse Higgy Higashioka married in a beautiful wedding in Hawaii. Because Alyse Higashioka is very private, she hasn't given the world any information about her or her family. Kyle Higashioka continues to post images of himself with Alyse on social media despite this.

Kyle Higashioka’s Kids

Kyle Higashioka doesn’t have any kids yet.

Kyle Higashioka’s Social Media

Kyle Higashioka is not an active Instagram user. He has around 66.2k followers on Instagram, and his account is filled with pictures of his games and family. He has 33.3k followers on Twitter.

Instagram - @khigashioka

Twitter - @the_higster

Kyle Higashioka’s Net Worth

Kyle Higashioka’s net worth is estimated at $5 million as of 2023. His yearly salary and brand endorsements add up to his net worth.

Kyle Higashioka as a Brand Ambassador

Kyle Higashioka endorses two brands, Nike and xSuit. He endorses Nike for its footwear and clothing apparel. Moreover, xSuit provides high-quality men's suits and other items resistant to stains, odors, and wrinkles. These brands try to benefit from Higashioka’s brand image.

Kyle Higashioka’s Investments

No information is available regarding Kyle Higashioka’s investment details in any public domain.

Kyle Higashioka’s Career Stats

In three postseason games (2022), Kyle played (two starts), going 0-for-6 with one walk. In 11 spring games, he hit.423/.464/1.231 (11-for-26) with 10R, 7HR, 11RBI, and 2BB. With seven home runs throughout spring training, he was second only to Philadelphia's Bryce Harper (8HR) among all Major League players. With 11 RBI, he also tied for seventh place in the Grapefruit League.

Kyle Higashioka’s Achievements

In February 2023, he was declared the winner of the Thurman Munson Award. It was his first career nomination when he was selected as the Yankees' 2021 Roberto Clemente Award nominee. Every year, a Major League player who best exemplifies baseball through exceptional character, community service, generosity, and constructive contributions on and off the field is given the Roberto Clemente Award.

Kyle Higashioka’s Contract

Kyle avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.4625 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2023. He signed a one-year contract for $935,000 with the New York Yankees in 2022. Previously, in 2021, he had signed a one-year contract worth $594,000 with the New York Yankees. He signed a $579,200 one-year deal with the New York Yankees in 2020. In 2019, he signed a contract worth $562,900 with the New York Yankees. In 2008, Higashioka signed his first contract for which he received a signing bonus of $500,000.

Kyle Higashioka’s Diet

There are no details on Kyle Higashioka's diet plan.

Kyle Higashioka’s House

There are no details about Kyle Higashioka’s current residence. However, Higashioka hails from Huntington Beach, California.

Kyle Higashioka’s Cars

There are no details available on Kyle Higashioka’s car collection.