Orix Buffaloes Ryoma Yamanaka catcher held contract negotiations at the team's facility in Maishima, Osaka, on April 12, and signed a contract with a salary of 10 million yen, an increase of 2 million yen (estimated amount). He said, "I was able to experience a really long period of actual competition, starting with the first team at the start of the season and continuing through the recent Winter League in Taiwan. It was a fulfilling year, and I gained a lot of good experience, both good and bad.

After playing for Kisarazu Sogo High School, Aoyama Gakuin University, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries East, he joined Orix Buffaloes last fall as the fourth pick in the draft. Despite being a rookie, he made a strong impression from the Miyazaki training camp, and on April 17th against Seibu Lions (Kyocera Dome Osaka), he hit his first professional Home Run run, becoming the first hitter in the team's history to hit a leadoff home run in the first inning. For the entire season, he played in 19 games with a batting average of .122, one Home Run, and three RBI. He said, "I was given many at-bats in the Western League, and there were times when I was in a slump. How to reduce the fluctuations in my performance while continuing to play in games will be a challenge for me going forward."

From November 15th to the 7th of this month, he participated in the 2025 Asia Winter Baseball League (AWB) held in Taiwan, where he recorded a batting average of .340. "Most of the matches were my first, so I tried not to be passive but to be proactive. I went into the matches thinking about how I could get results in my first at-bat in particular, and that led to some really good results," he said, expressing his satisfaction.

Next season will be his second year, but he will be 24 years old. "I'm at an age where I have to perform, so it will really be a make-or-break year. I don't just want to be on the first team, I want to play in games, contribute more to the team's win, and strive to produce results myself," he said enthusiastically.