Yabuta made his professional debut with the Marines in 1996, and spent 12 years with the organization. He served as a setup man for the Marines in 2007 recording a 4–6 record with a 2.73 ERA in 58 games. After the season, he declared his free agency and came to America to pursue a Major League Baseball career. On November 22, 2007, the Kansas City Star reported that the Kansas City Royals agreed with Yabuta on a two-year contract with a club option for 2010.\n', '

Yabuta officially signed with the Royals on November 28, 2007. He signed a two-year, $6,000,000 deal with the Kansas City Royals. The deal included a $4m club option for a third year. Yabuta was sent down to Triple-A Omaha Royals on June 25, 2008. He was designated for assignment on August 2 and was eventually sent outright to the minors. He was brought back to the Royals when the rosters expanded on September 1.\n', '

His teammates on the Royals have given him the nickname "Shake."\n', '

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