Japan Times profiles Pittsburgh Pirates trainer Kiyoshi Momose.

On December 6, the Japan Times profiled Kiyoshi Momose, a Nagano native who works as a trainer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Momose speaks Japanese, Spanish, and English, and was the strength and conditioning coach for the Major League Baseball squad that toured Japan in November.

Momose is one of several Japanese nationals currently working for MLB clubs as trainers, video coordinators, scouts and, of course, translators. He is one of the more versatile because of his skills in leading exercise and stretching sessions with the players and his language abilities. He has worked stints at the Pirates Academy in the Dominican Republic and has accompanied Pittsburgh scouts to Japan to serve as their advisor and interpreter.

Pirates scouting director Tyrone Brooks said, “Kiyoshi has been a valuable member to our organization these last 14 years, thanks to his ability to be a such a great asset with our major league staff and players, our Latin American players in educating them about proper strength and conditioning methods and in assisting our efforts to make inroads in scouting Japanese baseball.

“His ability to communicate in various languages makes him such a rare commodity, and we thank him for his efforts. His personality and work ethic is so greatly appreciated.”