He enrolled in Chukyo Gakuin University in Gifu Prefecture,[1] and from the spring of his 1st year, he played as a shortstop as his school competed in the Tokai Region Baseball League.

[4] On May 12, he and Yoshihiro Maru hit two grand slams in the game against the Chunichi Dragons, the 22nd time it happened in NPB history.

[5] A plaque commemorating the team's two-grand-slam game was installed beyond the left field wall at Mazda Stadium two days later.

Three days later in a match with the Giants, he batted in his 50th sac bunt, beating the franchise record held by Higashide in 2001, and also topped the league.

After the 2019 season, Carp announced it was allowing Kikuchi to enter the posting system to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).