2026 Professional baseball Draft Conference supported by Lipovitan D (22nd)

The Orix Buffaloes selected Futo Tsunoda from Fuji University as their first-round draft pick.

The Orix Buffaloes had been on a six-game losing streak in the first-round draft lottery, but their negotiation rights were confirmed without any competition.

In Manager Kishida's second year, the team finished in fourth place, falling into the B-class for the first time in two years. A major factor was the departure of 2019 first-round pick Miyagi and 2020 first-round pick Yamashita, both of whom underwent elbow surgery in May. Additionally, 2022 first-round pick Soya recorded only 5 wins, a decrease in the number of wins compared to the previous two years.

In the past two years, the team lost the lottery for Nishikawa (Aoyama Gakuin University) and Ishigaki (Ken-dai Takasaki), both of whom were contested first-place picks. Manager Kishida, who will enter his third year next season, showed a reluctant attitude toward acting as the lottery drawer, saying, 'I've missed twice now... I wonder if they'll tell me, "Stop already. We're not leaving it to you anymore"?'

Orix Buffaloes' first-round draft picks over the past 10 years

2016 Taisuke Yamaoka (Tokyo Gas) Pitcher

2017: Daiki Tajima (JR East) Pitcher

2018: Missed - Kaito Kozono (Hotoku Gakuen) Infielder

Ryo Ota (Tenri) Infielder

2019: x Takaya Ishikawa (Toho) Infielder

Ryusei Kawano (JFE West Japan), Pitcher

Hiroya Miyagi (Konan) Pitcher

Year 20: x Teruaki Sato (Kindai University) Infielder

Shumpeita Yamashita (Fukuoka University Ohori High School) Pitcher

2021 Ren Mukunoki (Tohoku Fukushi University) Pitcher

2022 Ryuhei Sotani (Hakuoh University) Pitcher

2023 Seiya Yokoyama (Uedanishi) Infielder

2024 - Misho Nishikawa (Aoyama Gakuin University) Outfielder

Yusuke Mugitani (Fuji University) Outfielder

2025 - Genki Ishigaki (Ken-dai Takasaki) Pitcher

Atsuya Fujikawa (Nobeoka Gakuen) Pitcher