Ayami Sato

Ayami Sato (里 綾実, Sato Ayami; born December 21, 1989) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Queens of the Women's Pro Baseball League. She formerly played for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Canadian Baseball League (CBL) for the 2025 season, becoming the first female player in the league. She is also a starting pitcher for the Japan women’s national baseball team, with which she has won six gold medals at the Women's Baseball World Cup. Sato is considered by many to be the best female pitcher, and by some the best female baseball player, in the world. She can throw close to 80 mph (130 km/h). Her curveball was clocked at 2,583 revolutions per minute. Sato has won six gold medals for her home country. She is the only women's baseball player to have won three consecutive World Cup MVP awards.