On the 8th, Orix catcher Kenya Wakatsuki and pitcher Ryuhei Sotani were selected as members of the Samurai Japan training match "LUXAS Samurai Japan Series 2025 Japan vs. Korea" (November 15th and 16th) to be held at Tokyo Dome. Wakatsuki will be selected for the national team for the second time since the 2017 Asian Professional baseball Championship. In addition to his strong defense skills, he has also improved his batting, which had been an issue this season, with a batting average of .272 in 121 games.
He is a former partner of Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is injury-resistant and may be competing in the WBC next March. During his time Orix, he won the Best Battery Award for three consecutive years from 2021, and supported two no hitter. Soya, who recorded a career-high eight wins in his third year as a professional, was selected following a training match in March this year. Manager Ibata of Samurai Japan is also keeping an eye on his suitability as a relief pitcher, and he emphasized, "I want to spend each day reaping the rewards somehow. I want to do the best I can. I want to be ready to go at any time."
Related News
・ [Orix] Kenya Wakatsuki selected for the Samurai Japan training match, his second time representing Japan since 2017
・ [Orix] Ryuhei Sotani selected for Samurai Japan training match against the Netherlands: "I'm surprised. I want to give it a try."
・ Lotte's Atsuki Taneichi joins Samurai Japan for the third time... Aiming to make a WBC appeal in November training matches
・ [Chunichi] Kanamaru Yuto selected for Samurai Japan...first call-up since March 2012. Okabayashi, Takahashi Hiroshi, and Matsuyama also selected.
・ [DeNA] Yudai Yamamoto is keen to join Samurai Japan: "I aspire to play for them and I want to play for them"
