This season, in his fourth year since graduating from high school, he won three batting titles in the minor leagues.

​Naoki Arizono was drafted second overall by Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2021. This season, his fourth year since graduating from high school, he has made rapid progress in the minor leagues, winning three batting titles in Eastern League: leading hitter, most Home Run, and highest on-base percentage. This is the first time in six years that a farm team player has achieved a batting average of .300 and 15 or more home run simultaneously, an impressive feat that only six players have achieved in the past 10 years, including Yasutaka Shiomi (Tokyo Yakult) and Hotaka Yamakawa (then with Saitama Seibu Lions). This time, we'll explore Arizono's batting development through minor league data.

His contact ability, which was an issue when he first joined the team, has improved.

The first thing to look at is his contact rate. When he first joined the team, Arizono's strikeout rate was over 10 points lower than the farm team average, making him a problem for many. However, his numbers improved significantly last season, his third year as a pro. Furthermore, this season he has increased his contact rate to 76.3%, approaching the farm team average, showing a steady improvement in his ability to catch the ball.

Dramatically improved batting eye

Next, let's look at his swing rate in the ball zone. Until last season, it was around 30%, which was about the farm team average, but this season it has dropped significantly to 22.6%. His batting eye has improved dramatically, with his swing rate at low balls dropping by nine points from last year. Whether or not you can identify balls as balls also has a significant impact on your strikeout rate. There's no doubt that his improved swing rate in the ball zone has also contributed to the aforementioned increase in his contact rate. He also drew 43 Walk this season, third-highest in Eastern League, and his Walk rate as a percentage of his total at-bats rose from 7.2% last year to 11.7%. It seems likely that his improved batting eye was an essential factor in his improved performance this season, including his on-base percentage.

He hit high-quality fly balls and increased the number of home run.

Arizono has a sense of stability in batting to the extent that he wins the top hitter in Eastern League. From here, let's delve into the data related to long hitting, which is his specialty. In order to hit a home run, it is required to hit an angled ball, but the fly percentage has been more than 50%, which is above the farm average since his first year as a professional. This season, the fly rate was almost the same as in previous years, but HR/FB, which indicates the percentage of fly balls hitting home run, rose dramatically to 14.1%. Considering that the average of 36 players who have hit double-digit Home Run in the first team this season is 9.6%, it can be seen that it is an excellent number even though it is a second-team performance. As shown in the batting average of .480 when hitting fly balls, there was an increase in high-quality fly hits that led to good results this season.

He has switched from focusing on pulling hits to hitting long balls in a wide range this season.

Not only has Arizono's fly ball performance improved, but so has his long hits. Last season, seven of his nine Home Run were hit to the left, and the majority of his long hits were hits pulled. This season, however, he's hit more long hits to center fielder field and the opposite direction. He's been hitting the ball almost evenly across the three directions, with nine to Home Run, five to center fielder, and four to right field, prolific in any direction. Since his rookie year, Arizono has been known for the power of his hits, which he unleashes with his well-built physique. His consistency has increased this season, and his ability to hit long balls from a wide range of angles has likely contributed to his improved batting stability.

On August 13th, he recorded his long-awaited first professional hit in the first team, and he himself reflected on the 2015 season as "the best season in the last four years," giving him a great sense of accomplishment. At third base and first base, where he primarily plays, he faces many first baseman, including Yuya Gunji, who will be the starting fourth batter for next season, as well as Kotaro Kiyomiya, Yuki Nomura, and Ariel Martinez, but he has shown plenty of potential to join the competition. The 2015 season marks his fifth year as a pro. We can't help but expect him to continue churning out home run in the first team and help the team, which has been in second place for two consecutive years, move up another level.

*All figures in the text and tables are as of the end of the 2025 season.

Text and Data Stadium