Orix Buffaloes catcher Kenya Wakatsuki has promised to make "tangible and intangible" contributions to the team's continued world championship. Eleven additional members of the Japanese national team who will be competing in the 6th World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March have been announced, confirming his first appearance in the WBC. Having also played in a training match in November 2013, he declared, "I think it's all about how much I can contribute to winning. If I'm playing in a game, I want to contribute with my play, and even when I'm not playing, there's plenty I can do. I really want to work hard to win."

His strengths are his injury-resistant body, strong arm, and solid defense ability. In 2013, he had a batting average of .272 in 121 games, and has also improved in his batting, which had been an issue. On this day, he was training voluntarily at Osaka City Shinkin Bank Stadium near Maishima, Osaka. The man who is also an indispensable right-hand man to Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto said, "The pressure is stronger, if anything. I need to communicate and watch videos. I want to start (preparation) anew from today."