Fukuoka Softbank held a press conference on December 8 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.
*Draft No. 1 Rintaro Sasaki is absent because he has not signed a contract.

Rintaro Sasaki / infielder / Right-handed and left-handed hitter
1st place in the draft / Stanford University

◇Scout Comments
"A large slugger who will play a key role in the future team. Although he was certain to be selected as the first pick in the 2023 NPB Draft, he decided to go to an American university. At the prestigious Stanford University, while studying hard, he played a key role in all 52 games starting line-up from the start of the season as a first-year student and contributed to the team. At Hanamaki Higashi High School, where he graduated, he received gifted education in batting and baseball from his father, coach Sasaki. baseball He is great as a member of the team and as a person, and he has the makings of a person who will stand on his back in the baseball world in the future."

Ryuta Inagawa / pitcher / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#13 / Draft 2nd place / Kyushu Kyoritsu University

"It's about being trusted by the team and being a pitcher that can win."

◇Scout Comments
"MAX 152km/h right-hander. fastball has a high hop component and is attractive for its powerful ball that can take a swing with a high ball. breaking ball is a curve, slider, and fork, and the vertical curve is spinning and you can take a short swing. The power of the fastball is top-notch."

Gota Suzuki / pitcher / Right-handed pitcher Right-handed hitter
#26 / Draft 3rd place / Osaka University of Commerce

"It's about becoming a long-breathing player."

◇Scout Comments
"A right-hander with a MAX of 147km/h who switched to the side after entering Osaka University of Commerce. Since last year, he has started at full rotation for two days in a row as the team's ace complete game win and has excellent stamina. mound also has courage, especially the ball that gouges through the chest to the right-handed hitter, and can contribute to the team's win in a wide range of situations, such as future starting rotations and relief pitcher

Masato Sagara / pitcher / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#50 / 4th place in the draft / Gifu Kyoritsu University

"The goal is to stick to one and continue to work hard."

◇Scout Comments
"He controls a variety of breaking ball based on a powerful fastball of 152km/h. All pitches are highly accurate and pitch techniques that do not allow you to focus on hitter. He has established a style of missing the timing and letting him hit at a good tempo, and he is a full-fledged pitcher who can be expected to grow even more in the future."

Takayoshi Takahashi / infielder / Right-handed pitcher Right-handed hitter
#56 / Draft 5th / JR East Japan

"To become a player who can be said to be the face of The Hawks."

◇Scout Comments
"The No. 1 slugger in society. Even professionals aim for cleanup."

Shiorita Ikeda / catcher / Right-handed pitcher Right-handed hitter
#133 / Development Draft No. 1 / Sekine Gakuen High School

"It's about winning the registration under control as soon as possible and playing as many games as possible in the first team."

◇Scout Comments
"A large catcher. A player who is dexterous in blocking and throwing for his body. The hitting has a distance, but the contact rate is an issue. defense has a very good throw and a stable second baseman throw time of around 1.85. In the game, he is a little waisty, but he has a throwing speed of 1.78 seconds and a large size. In particular, I can appreciate that I can throw softly without relying on force."

Ayumu Ezaki / infielder / Right-handed and left-handed hitter
#144 / 2nd place in the development draft / Fukui High School attached to Fukui Institute of Technology

"It's about getting up to the first team quickly and taking the top hitter."

◇Scout Comments
"He has a well-balanced short stop with three beats of running, offense and defense. In batting, he shows sensible hitting with excellent meat power and bat control. In addition to the wide defense range in the defense, the strong shoulders of the pitcher record a maximum speed of 142 km/h. The biggest attraction is his quick foot of 50 meters and 6.0 seconds. We have a high overall strength and can expect further growth in the future."

Ryusei Oya / pitcher / Right-handed and left-handed
#146 / 3rd place in the development draft / Chukyo University

"I want to be a pitcher who wins the domination registration and takes the save king."

◇Scout Comments
"The fastball is powerful with a maximum speed of 155 km/h, and the fork of the deciding ball is attractive because it can take away the empty swing with a sharp drop pitcher strike out.

Ohashi Reiwa (Ohashi Reo) / infielder / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#150 / 4th place in the development draft / OISKA Hamamatsu International High School

"It's about coming up under control and playing an active role in the first team."

◇Scout Comments
"50 meters 5.9 seconds of leg strength and defense range are rough stones that are far from high school students."

Takahiro Suzuki / outfielder / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#151/5th in the Training Draft/CLUB REBASE

"A player who can hit, run, and defend, I will achieve a triple three."

◇Scout Comments
"A slugger with the potential of a long-range gun outfielder head speed is at the level of a professional team."

Renta Nagasaki / pitcher / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#155 / 6th place in the development draft / Shiga Gakuen High School

"I want to throw 100 miles as a starter."

◇Scout Comments
"He is 187 cm tall and has an angled maximum speed of 145 km/h. He has a sense of stability that allows him to get count on any pitch, and he can make a pitch with overall dexterity. A material-type pitcher that can be expected to grow and grow in the future."

Emile Serrano Prenza / outfielder / Right-handed Right-handed
#158 / Training Draft 7th / Science of Happiness Gakuen High School

"I want to be the best home run batter in the Japan."

◇Scout Comments
"My father is Domingo Guzmán, who played an active role in Chunichi, and is a Dominican who is treated as a Japan man with the potential of long-range guns with non-standard power."

Hokuto Oyama / pitcher / Right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter
#164 / 8th place in the development draft / Chuo University

"I want to practice more muddy than anyone else and become a superstar who can shine until the end."

◇Scout Comments
"Although he is from the semi-hard baseball division, he is a good pitcher who can operate a fastball of 152km/h and a wide range of breaking ball.