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

Yudai Maeda (3rd year), a pitcher for Takaoka Daiichi (Toyama) who is attracting attention as one of the best left-handers of his generation, was selected in the second round by Lotte.

A powerful left-handed high school pitcher who clocked 156 km/h this summer in the Toyama tournament, the fastest for his age group. He boasts a high strike out ability, having achieved a no hitter with an astonishing 20 strike outs in a single game during the same tournament.

In September, he was selected for the high school national team to compete in the 14th U-18 Asian Championship, contributing to their runner-up finish. Although not large at 173 centimeters tall, he received high evaluations from various professional teams as a left-hander with great potential, capable of unleashing powerful fastballs from a flexible pitching form.

Yuto Maeda. Born January 23, 2009, in Takaoka City, Toyama. 17 years old. Started baseball in the second grade of elementary school and played rubber-ball baseball at Nansei Junior High School. At Takaoka Daiichi, he joined the bench with number 18 in the summer of his first year and has worn the ace number since the autumn of his second year. 173 cm, 70 kg. Left-handed pitcher and left-handed batter.