On the 21st, Nippon-Ham held a strategy meeting in Tokyo ahead of the draft conference scheduled for the following day. Acting GM Masao Kida (58) avoided making a public announcement, stating, "We will not disclose our first-round pick," similar to other teams. However, he did reveal that pitcher Shoki Oda (Yokohama), a right-hander with a top speed of 157 km/h who has expressed his intention to challenge American baseball, has been excluded from their selection targets.

The meeting lasted for four hours, during which they narrowed down the acquisition list to 65 players and finalized the standings. While no specific names were mentioned regarding the draft picks, Acting GM Kida made a comment about Oda. Previously, Oda had been on the top-tier list because he is "such an exceptional pitcher." However, after hearing about his intention to pursue a career in American baseball, Acting GM Kida stated, "In subsequent meetings, we held discussions under the assumption that Oda was not a candidate," indicating that he had been removed from consideration for the draft.

Taking that situation into account, Acting GM Kida stated, "Since he has made his declaration, as a fellow baseball person, I want Oda-kun to do his best wherever he plays baseball from now on."