Softbank Hawks 's Ukyo Shuto renewed his contract at Mizuho PayPay Dome on the 23rd. He signed a large five-year contract worth 2 billion yen, and at the end of the interview, he said, "I'm now outfielder," revealing that he will be changing his registration from infielder to outfielder starting this season.

Shuto short stop in his third year at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Second High School, and played infield from his third year at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Hokkaido High School. He joined Softbank Hawks as the second development pick in the 2017 draft, and in 2019, when he was registered as a controlled player, he started in four games as infield and 18 games as outfield. From 2020 to 2022, he started more games as infield, but in 2023, starting line-up of starts as outfield again exceeded infield. He has not played in infield in the past two years.