Taiki Kikuchi (26), pitcher for Nippon-Ham who joined the team from the Yomiuri The Giants through the active player draft, participated in an early voluntary training session held in Nago, Okinawa on the 24th, and was the first on the team to enter bullpen. He entered bullpen with Sugiura and threw 36 pitches, including fastballs and fork. In the sunny weather with a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, he worked up a sweat and said, "My body is in better shape than in previous years, and I feel like I can start pitching already. I'm in a position where I have to make an impression, so I want to make a good impression, and although I wouldn't say it's early, I think I'm doing well." He showed that he is in good shape ahead of the start of spring training on February 1st.

This is a new place for him in his fifth year as a pro. "I want to bring out a new side of myself, or rather, I want to actively talk to people in order to find it," he said. He received advice from Yoshida, a junior from his time at Toin University of Yokohama who joined the team from Softbank Hawks last season as a current draft pick, and participated in early voluntary training. "Not only do I need to get used to the environment, but I also need to greet people. Kengo Yoshida also advised me that it would be better to come a little earlier and train rather than just coming all at once and training on the first day of training camp," he said, and he was seen proactively communicating with his seniors Takashi Kato, Sugiura, and Uehara. He and Yoshida arrived in Naha together from Haneda Airport, and expressed his gratitude for his reliable junior, saying, "The Fighters are selfish, so I'm asking them everything I need to know about what I should do."