Orix announced that it will register Kaito Iriyama pitcher and Kaede Yokoyama pitcher of the development slots under its control. number was decided to enter the mountain with 68 and Kaede Yokoyama with number 52. This season started with 66 players under control, and on May 30th, he acquired Sho Iwasaki pitcher in a money trade from Chunichi. Before the reinforcement deadline at the end of this month, the number of players under control was 69, approaching the upper limit of 70.

The 25-year-old Iriyama joined the team as the third pick in the 2022 development draft. In his first year in 2023, he mainly served as closer in Western League, posting results of 5 wins, 3 losses, 13 ERA of 2.36 in 44 games. This season, his third year, he is a relief pitcher with a record of 0 wins, 1 loss, and ERA of 3.86 in 13 games. He is a right-handed pitcher with an appealing fastball that reaches a maximum speed of 154 km/h.

27-year-old Kaede Yokoyama joined the team as the sixth pick in the 2021 draft. In the three years up until last year, he only pitched in four games for the first team, and was released during the off-season. This season, in his fourth year as a development player, he has played mainly as closer, with a record of one win, two losses, eight saves, and ERA 2.33 in 27 games in the Western League. The right-handed pitcher, whose weapon is a fastball exceeding 150 km/h that he delivers with a uniquely small take-back, has returned to the team's roster in just one season.

The team lost their lead on July 5th and has been on a six-game losing streak, their worst of the season. Their lead, which was up to 12 games, has now been reduced to five, and they are now in third place, 7.5 games behind the leader, Softbank, and second-place, Nippon-Ham, and are facing a crucial moment. The relief pitchers' combined ERA of 4.06 is the worst among the 12 teams. Yoshida and Udagawa underwent Tommy John surgery on their right elbows in March, followed by Ogida in April. Rookie Higashiyama and a former development pitcher also underwent similar surgery in May. Experienced pitchers like Hirano and Yamaoka are currently adjusting for the farm team. By adding fresh talent to their relief corps, which needed strengthening, the team aims to bounce back with 53 games remaining.

◆Iriyama Kaito: Born May 26, 2000 in Moriguchi, Osaka. 25 years old. Never played Koshien while at Hidaka High School's Nakatsu Branch (Wakayama). At Tohoku Fukushi University, he played one game in the Sendai Big Six League with a record of 0 wins and 0 losses. In 2022, he joined Orix as the third pick in the development draft. This season, in his third year, he has 0 wins and 1 loss in 13 games in the Western League, ERA 3.86. He is 177 cm tall and weighs 78 kg. He throws and bats right-handed.

◆Yokoyama Kaede: Born December 28, 1997 in Miyazaki City. 27 years old. Never played Koshien while at Miyazaki Gakuen. After graduating from Kokugakuin University and playing in the Sega Sammy amateur baseball league, he joined Orix as the sixth pick in the 2021 draft. He made his professional debut in 2023, going 0-1 with ERA 7.36 in four games. In 2024, he recorded the most saves in the Western League with 17, but did not pitch in the first team and was re-signed to a development contract during the off-season that year. This season, in his fourth year, he has 1 win and 2 losses in 27 games in the Western League with ERA 2.33. Starting this season, his name on the back of his jersey is "KAEDE." He is 181 cm tall and weighs 91 kg. He is a right-handed pitcher and switch hitter.

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