Tohoku Rakuten Eagles held a press conference on December 5 to announce the joining of new players for the 2026 academic year. Twelve players selected in the 2025 draft took the stage and talked about their professional goals.

Fujiwara Satoshi / pitcher / Right-handed right-handed hitter
#13 / Draft 1st place / Hanazono University

"I am confident in my slider, so I will do my best to deliver the league championship and Japan to Tohoku with that as the axis and become a pitcher that will excite the fans. My goal is to become a pitcher that can win the Sawamura Award."

◇Scout Comments
"No. 1 university student in the area with a fastball of 154 km/h and a sharp slider pitcher attractive"

Itsuki Ito / pitcher / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#20 / Draft 2nd place / Waseda University

"I want to carry the feelings of Waseda University with a single ball on my back, and since I have a connection to Akita, I want to do my best to liven up the whole of Tohoku."

◇Scout Comments
"The type that can make games with a variety of breaking ball pitcher.

Shigenaga Akira / infielder / Right-handed pitcher Right-handed hitter
#30 / 3rd place in the draft / Chuo University

"My goal is to be the Rookie of the Year, and I want to appeal to everyone with my batting and let everyone see how energetic I am, and liven up Tohoku."

◇Scout Comments
"Since my third year of college, I have been a university all-Japan player.

Toshiya Osakae / catcher / Right-handed and left-handed
#72 / Draft 4th place / Gakuho Ishikawa High School

"I want to do my best with the strength of my shoulders, which is my strength, and my goal this year is to build my body. I want to build a body that can compete firmly for one year and eventually become a player who will be the axis of Rakuten Eagles."

◇Scout Comments
" second baseman Amazing strong shoulders that can throw less than 1.8 seconds and a striking catcher that shines with bold strikes."

Taisei Ito / pitcher / Left-handed pitcher and left-handed hitter
#79 / Draft 5th place / Reimei High School

"My goal for this year is to improve my ball speed, and since I am only in my first year, I will do my best to get into the team's rotation as soon as possible while building my body, so please support me."

◇Scout Comments
"A left-hander with a flexible pitch form and a spinning fastball and a breaking ball with good control."

Ryu Kutani / pitcher / Right-handed and left-handed
#45 / 6th place in the draft / Prince

"My goal this year is to be the opening team, and I will do my best to show how to throw as soon as possible."

◇Scout Comments
"He has control and stamina, and can start and reliever even in the pros pitcher "

Shoya Sakagami / outfielder / Right-handed and left-handed hitter
#42 / Draft 7th place / University

"My appeal point is that I can demonstrate explosive power in running, offense and defense, and I want to win triple threes and become a player who will go down in professional baseball history."

◇Scout Comments
"He boasts high physical ability with strong shoulders and strong hits, and can expect further growth in the future outfielder "

Horomura Daita / outfielder / Right-handed and left-handed
#126 / Development Draft 1st Place / Toyama GRN Thunderbirds

"My goal is to become the king of stolen base, and I am still in a position of training, but I will do my best to win control and eventually become the king of stolen base."

◇Scout Comments
"Striking has high contact ability and base running ability outfielder "

Otsubo Shion / outfielder / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#129 / 2nd place in the development draft / Ishikawa Million Stars

"First of all, I want to do my best to become under control, so please support me."

◇Scout Comments
"A right-handed long-range gun with a batting speed of over 170 km/h and the power to send the ball far."

Takuma Nakazawa / pitcher / Right-handed and left-handed hitter
#133 / 3rd place in the development draft / Hakuoh University

"My goal is to be registered under control as soon as possible, and I will do my best with fastball and fork weapons that take advantage of the angle."

◇Scout Comments
"A right-hander who has increased his ball speed of fastball since early spring, can get swings and fouls in the strike zone, and has an attractive fork ball that is the deciding ball."

Kyosuke Kaneko / infielder / Right-handed pitcher Right-handed hitter
#134 / 4th place in the development draft / Kanagawa University

"My strength is that I can swing from the first pitch at the plate, so I want to do my best with the spirit of Let's Go with the feeling of 'Let's Gerry'."

◇Scout Comments
"A large right infielder that has long hitting power and can hit at a wide angle."

Shimabara Taiga / catcher / Right-handed and left-handed
#122 / Development Draft 5th / Ehime Mandarin Pirates

"I will do my best to register under control as soon as possible."

◇Scout Comments
"Large catcher that sells hitting, and accurate throw control is attractive."