The NPB Junior Tournament KONAMI CUP 2025, a tournament to determine the No. 1 junior team for fifth and sixth graders, will be held at Meiji Jingu Stadium and Yokohama Stadium from Friday, December 26th. This year marks the 21st time the tournament has been held, and a total of 16 junior teams will compete for the title of Japan's best over four days from December 26th.

Pacific League Insight introduces the junior teams of the six Pacific League teams participating in the tournament. We also interviewed the managers of each team about their team's strengths and players to watch.

The The Hawks Junior team is aiming for consecutive championships, having won the national championship for the second time in 15 years!

Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Junior has produced a total of 13 professional baseball players to date. The selection meeting was held in August, and 20 players who passed the final selection will be active as The Hawks Junior candidate members until October. After that, 16 players will be selected from the candidate members to participate in the tournament.

During the program, the players are not only guided by former professional baseball players who are managers and coaches, but also have the opportunity to interact with current players, coaches, and staff, as well as participate in practice and games at the team's facilities, all of which are "special experiences." Activities are focused on the growth of each individual player.

The 16 players selected for 2025 are as follows:

(number / Name / Reading / Team / Hometown / Position / Selling points)

#1 Dairo Hayabusa (Shigaraki Shuntaro) Miyazaki The Buffaloes / Miyazaki Prefecture / pitcher, catcher, outside hitter
"Strong arm, powerful hitting, fast runner, can play defense anywhere"
#2 Kanato Ishimitsu (Ishimitsu Kanato) Kaneda Junior Club / Fukuoka Prefecture / pitcher, catcher, outside pitcher
"Strong arm, powerful hitting, fast pitch"
#3 Sosuke Ishii (Ishii Sosuke) Kiyose Bamboos / Fukuoka Prefecture / outside
"Strong arm, powerful hit, competitive spirit"
#4 Natsuki Yamashita (Yamashita Natsuki) Asahi Youth baseball Club / Oita Prefecture / Pitcher/Infielder
"Wide defense range"
#5 Sasao Kiyoshi (Sasao Shoma) Shimonoseki Dreams / Yamaguchi Prefecture / Domestic and international
"He has defense range and base running, and he doesn't struck out often."
#8 Rukiya Takamoto (Takamoto Rukiya) Kumamoto Blue Marlins / Kumamoto Prefecture /
"baseball brain, defense ability, encouragement"
#9 Sodai Hagiwara (Souta Hagiwara) Nishiki Yankees / Kumamoto Prefecture / Pitcher/Outfielder
"Shoulders, power"
#10 Kotaro Fukuma (Kotaro Fukuma) Kaneda Junior Club / Fukuoka Prefecture / Pitcher/Outfielder
"Aggressive base base running and defense"
#17 Daishin Miyagi (Miyagi Taishin) Mikunino Honeys / Fukuoka Prefecture / pitcher, catcher, infielder
"Powerful hitting, strong shoulders, utility"
#18 Tamura Aijirou (Tamura Aishiro) Yatsushiro Junior Stars / Kumamoto Prefecture / Uchi
"Love for baseball, attitude towards baseball"
#21 Daiki Nimoto (Kamoto Taiki) Yamaguchi Wing Sports Youth Club / Yamaguchi Prefecture / Pitcher/Infielder
"Shoulder strength and the ability to make decisions based on the situation"
#44 Kaede Takano (Takano Fuuma) Nakatsu Taiyo Club / Oita Prefecture / Outside
"He'll use his powerful strikes and kicks to stir things up."
#51 Kuroki Ouga (Kuro Ki Ouga) Daio Valley Sports Club / Miyazaki Prefecture / outside
"Strong arm, long hit, fast runner"
#55 Terumasa Ishimaru (Ishimaru Thelma) Shinsakae Youth baseball Club / Saga Prefecture / Pitcher/Outfielder
"Never forget to be grateful, smile and play with all your might"
#56 Musashi Maeda (Maeda Takezo) Otsubo Akamon Nanba Yearly baseball / Saga Prefecture / Pitcher/Catcher
"Throwing"
#57 Kita Smile (Kita Mirari) Kashii Sky Stars / Fukuoka Prefecture / Pitcher/Outfielder
"baseball boy with a Showa-era vibe, a three-sword style pitcher, attacker, and runner"

・Captain…#17 Miyagi Daishin

"More than winning or losing, we need the pride and determination to carry The Hawks name," says Coach Kayama of the 2025 The Hawks Junior

The team staff is as follows.

・Director: Shinya Kayama
(Yaeyama Agriculture and Forestry High School - Big Development Baseball Club - JX-ENEOS -Fukuoka Softbank Hawks-Tokyo Yakult Swallows)
・Coach Takanobu Wakabayashi
(Saga Gakuen High School -Chunichi Dragons-Hiroshima Toyo Carp- Miki House - Miyazaki Golden Golds)
・Coach Yoshiki Miyoshi
(Oita Commercial High School -Fukuoka Softbank Hawks)
・Physical coach Ryosuke Omatsu
(Physical Therapist License, NSCA-CSCS, Sports Food Advisor)

We asked coach Kayama about the strengths of the 2025 The Hawks Junior.

"A strong batting line centered on Miyagi, and in defense, the ironclad center fielder line of Ishimitsu, Yamashita, and Ishii is an attractive team. The pitcher lineup is centered on the three pillars of Hagiwara, Ishimitsu, and Ishimaru, and strike leading pitcher."

Also, about the enthusiasm for the NPB Junior Tournament

"I want to fight in a way that allows the players to freely demonstrate what they have built up over the past four months, and I will do my best to challenge until the end with pride and determination to carry the name of The Hawks more than winning or losing," he said. Be sure to pay attention to the fierce battle of the The Hawks junior team aiming for consecutive victories!

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"NPB Junior Tournament"
With the desire to "make the goal of "dreaming of becoming a professional baseball" closer to children Japan the National Tournament of Soft baseball by 5th and 6th graders is sponsored and held by the baseball Organization (NPB) and 12 professional baseball teams. A total of 16 junior teams, selected and organized by 12 NPB clubs, NPB Farm regular season 2 participating clubs, and 2 affiliated leagues of the Japan independent league baseball, will compete for the top spot on the stage of the stadium where the professional team is based Japan It is a tournament that can be said to be the "gateway to professional success" that has produced many professional baseball players so far, and this year is the 21st time it has been held.

"NPB Junior Tournament KONAMI CUP 2025"
◯ Schedule
December 26 (Fri) ~ December 29 (Mon) 4 days
◯ Venue
Meiji Jingu Stadium: December 26 (Fri) ~ 29 (Mon) *No reserve days
Yokohama Stadium: December 26 (Fri) ~ 28 (Sun) *Reserve day 29 (Mon)
◯General admission
Free to watch
◯Click here for details

Text: Sari Ikeda