On the 8th, Seibu announced that they had held contract negotiations with pitcher Hiroto Hiraguchi (Japan University of Economics), who was selected 5th in the development draft.

Hiraguchi commented through the team, "To be honest, the world of professional baseball still feels far away, and it hasn't really dawned on me yet, but I would like to improve the quality of my practice and make sure to fill in the gaps before I move into the dormitory.I will show off my pitching style, which relies on sharpness and control, and do my best to be registered as a regular player from my first year."