Orix Buffaloes 's second-round draft pick, pitcher Matthew Ichiro Shapiro (22) of Nihonkai Toyama, was the first to pitch bullpen at the rookie joint training camp on the 15th. He threw 16 pitches with catcher standing, saying, "Balanced and rhythmic." He made his first appearance pitch with an angle that makes the most of his 193cm height, and politely introduced himself, saying, "Shapiro is my last name, and Matthew Ichiro is my first name."

His father was born in the United States. He chose "Matthew" as his registered name. "Shapiro is hard to remember, so I chose something easier to remember," he said with a smile. He reaffirmed his dream of becoming "Ichiro one day," which he stated at his press conference when he joined the team last November, but he feels embarrassed and feels "disrespectful" to his great predecessor. With the goal of becoming a player who is recognized, he started out with a familiar sounding name. The name is a combination of the name of a relative friend who was asked to be his godfather and his maternal grandfather, "Ichiro." He said with a wry smile that it is easy to mistake it for "Matthew Ichiro," but added, "Well, I guess it's fine."

His weapon is a fastball that reaches a maximum speed of 153 km/h. Last summer, he developed pitch form that focused on the axis of his body, and his speed increased dramatically from the high 140 km/h range. The 22-year-old is on the rise and has made a name for himself by joining the regular team. (Ando Osamu)

◆Shapiro Matthew Ichiro (Shapiro Mashu Ichiro) Born March 18, 2003 in Tokyo. 22 years old. Played for the Taito All Dreams while attending Komagata Junior High School. Went on to Kokugakuin University from Kokugakuin Tochigi. In 2013, he played for Nihonkai League Toyama, pitching in 15 games with a record of 4 wins and 0 losses and ERA 1.93. He is 193 cm tall and weighs 105 kg. He bats and throws right-handed. number "002."

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