On the 21st, Seibu announced that they would be sending pitcher Mikato Aoyama, Taishi Mameda, pitcher Shinya Hasegawa to the Puerto Rico Winter League for the purpose of player development.

▼ Mikato Aoyama

"While experiencing high-level baseball firsthand, I would like to hone my strengths, such as varying the speed of my pitches and pitching drops, and also focus on the strength of fastball. I would like to return home having thoroughly mastered the techniques and mentality to be able to throw with confidence in any situation."

▼Comment pitcher Taishi Mameda

"I would like to learn about the training methods of other players and their thoughts on mound. I think there are a lot of power hitters in the league, so I would like to see how my strength stacks up against them and continue to use the feeling I got towards the end of this season in actual games. I would like to use this time to face my own challenges head-on and improve myself so that I can compete as a member of the first team next season."

Comment from Shinya Hasegawa

"I've heard that this is a league that even major leaguers participate in, so I don't think you'll be used unless you produce results. I want to prepare well and take on the challenge with a hungry spirit so I can get on ground as often as possible. I'm also looking forward to talking with many players. I want to gain confidence here and take home as many positive aspects as possible so I can prepare for spring training and exhibition games."