◆ Tao: "The No. 1 draft hitter can hit long distances" is the rival! Keep an eye on the fierce competition

Rakuten 's first-round draft pick, Rui Muneyama, made it into the opening day first team. Will Muneta, who is called the "golden rookie," be able to establish himself in the first team and win the Rookie of the Year award? The commentators of the Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News" special just before the opening day broadcast on the 27th discussed the possibility.

Of the 11 commentators who appeared, eight predicted he would win the award. Imae Toshiaki analyzed, "His position is somewhat guaranteed, so if he can stay injury-free, he'll be able to play in the game. Even if his batting isn't going well, he can play if he plays well defense," while Sakaguchi Tomotaka expressed his expectations for his performance, saying, "He seems calm, and above all, his name is often mentioned, so I think he'll be able to win the Rookie of the Year award if he plays normally for a year."

On the other hand, Oya Akihiko named Lotte's first-round draft pick, Misho Nishikawa, as a rival, saying, "I think Nishikawa is better," and Tao Yasushi also predicted a fierce battle, saying, "I also thought we couldn't get him because of Nishikawa. Nishikawa can hit long distances."

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2025"