You told me I was quiet when we first spoke, didn't you?

It was the first conversation between Lotte's Genki Ishigaki and the 19-year pro veteran Yuki Karakawa.

Ishigaki and Karakawa share something in common: both joined Lotte as first-round draft picks out of high school. Karakawa entered the pros 19 years ago in the first round of the 2007 high school draft—the year Ishigaki was born—while Ishigaki was selected as Lotte's first-round pick in the draft held last October.

Ishigaki revealed about his first conversation with Karakawa, 'It wasn't exactly like telling him to hold his head higher because he was a first-round pick, but that was the gist of our very first talk.'

There are other commonalities as well. Both have stood on the first-team mound since their first year out of high school. Karakawa made his professional debut and first start in a game against the Softbank Hawks on April 23, 2008 (at Fukuoka Yahoo! JAPAN Dome, currently MIZUHO PayPay Dome), where he held the opponent to zero runs over seven innings, becoming the first win pitcher among professional baseball players born in the Heisei era, serving as a closer for the game.

Ishigaki also made his professional debut and first start on September 17th of this year in a game against the Rakuten Eagles (Zozo Marine Stadium), becoming the first high school first-round draft pick for the club to do so since Karakawa. In the first inning, Ishigaki got the leadoff batter Daisuke Nakashima to fly out to left on a third-pitch fastball after a 1-ball, 1-strike count, recording his first professional out. Although he gave a Walk to the following batter Rui Muneyama, he struck out McCusker looking on a 149 km/h fastball with a 3-ball, 2-strike count. The catcher Toshiya Sato threw out the first-base runner Rui Muneyama at second base on a stolen base attempt, and Ishigaki's professional debut ended with 1 inning and 16 pitches thrown. He commented, 'This was a stage I had always aimed for, so I am glad I was able to pitch here within this year,' marking a debut with no runs.

Ishigaki also pitched one inning with zero runs as the closer against the Orix Buffaloes on September 23, his second appearance since turning professional, and was removed from the first-team roster on September 24.

Karakawa played actively for 19 years. One wonders if Ishigaki also has the desire to play for a long time, just like Karakawa.

Yes, I think it's amazing, and since I feel there's a certain connection, I want to do my best to surpass Mr. Karakawa.

Genki Ishigaki has taken his first step as a professional. "I want to become a player who can pitch even longer innings and contribute to the team's win," he said. He will continue to grow in order to become a long-lasting pitcher like Karakawa, a pitcher loved by The Marines fans, and a pitcher who represents Japan.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita