Orix Buffaloes 's fifth-round draft pick, pitcher Shu Takaya (22) of Hokkai Gakuen University, took to bullpen for the first time on the 19th during the rookie joint voluntary training. His lower back stiffness has improved, and he threw 20 pitches to a standing catcher. He also checked slider and curveball, nodding vigorously and saying, "It went better than I expected. I'm pretty satisfied with the bullpen. I hope to continue practicing to iron out my weaknesses." Aside from sixth-round pitcher Kenny Ishikawa (University of Georgia), who plans to wait until the MLB Draft in mid-July to decide on his future, Takaya is the only college student under contract in the 2025 draft. In between the rookie joint voluntary training, he also had the opportunity to chat with senior pitcher.
"I talked to Shumpeita Yamashita pitcher and pitcher Tajima and asked him a lot of things." The two who participated in the camp led by Konoe Juji, who coached Kanno (free agent from the Orioles) and others, were arm-led "Udeboi (body = hunched back type)". In contrast, Takaya seems to have been a lower body-led "ashi body (curved waist type)", and it seems that he was advised on how to use his body, saying, "Isn't it better to do the exact opposite?" Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) was given the same number "43" as when he joined the team, and is an immediate right-hander who can manipulate cutter, two seam fastball, change-up, and splitter in a variety of ways. "I want to incorporate a lot of things, and it's a really amazing (uniform) number, so I can live up to expectations," he renewed.
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