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

Aoyama Gakuin University catcher Kai Watanabe (4th year, Chiben Wakayama) was selected as a first-round pick by the Rakuten Eagles. After a competition with Chunichi, the Rakuten Eagles won the negotiating rights. Watanabe smiled and said, "First of all, I am happy to have been selected as a first-round pick and that they need me."

Regarding his impression of the Rakuten Eagles, he said, "I have the impression of a young team centered around young players." Expectations for him as an immediate asset are high. He rolled up his sleeves and stated, "My strength is first and foremost my defense and bringing out the best in the pitcher. I want to demonstrate that strength. I want to play as a regular starting from my rookie year."

Watanabe is the number one university catcher with a strong arm and powerful hitting. At Chiben Wakayama, he achieved a national championship in the summer of his second year, and at Aoyama Gakuin University, he secured four national titles. As a representative of Japan, he won bronze at the U-18 World Cup during his third year of high school. He also has extensive experience, serving as the starting catcher at the World College Baseball Championship (WCBC) this July. He possesses excellent leadership skills, having served as captain for both his team and the national squad.

In addition to having a strong arm and high ability as a catcher, he also has a solid reputation for his hitting power, having been entrusted with the cleanup spot for the Japan national university team. As a valuable 'hitting catcher,' there are high expectations for him to be an immediate asset to the team.