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

Yamanashi Gakuin's two-way player, pitcher Haruki Komoda (17), was selected as the first-round draft pick by Nippon-Ham. Although he attracted significant attention, the team secured his negotiation rights as the sole bidder.

Komoda, who awaited the fateful moment at his school in Kofu City, Yamanashi, commented, "First of all, I am filled with joy to have been selected by the Nippon-Ham Fighters in the first round. I had a desire to join the Nippon-Ham Fighters, so I feel both happiness and deep emotion that they called my name."

At the press conference venue, approximately 15 television cameras and over 100 reporters from 50 media outlets gathered. About 50 members of the baseball club, along with parents and others, also rushed to the scene.

A new two-way player has taken a major first step. As a pitcher, his maximum speed is 152 km/h, and as a hitter, he has a total of 39 high school Home Runs. Standing 195 cm tall and weighing 103 kg, his scale is outstanding, and the expectations for his future are infinite.

He appeared in Koshien for three consecutive seasons from the spring of his second year to the spring of his third year. As a pitcher, he started four games in the summer of his second year, contributing to the team's advancement to the semifinals. As a hitter, he struck a powerful home run with a bullet-like line drive into the left-field seats in the spring of his third year. During the spring Koshien in his third year, he fractured his left wrist after colliding with a runner while playing defense at first base. Nevertheless, he returned for the Yamanashi tournament in the summer, showing his presence as a two-way player by taking the mound and hitting a Home Run. Although he did not reach Koshien, he shed tears, saying, 'My desire to return to Koshien was strong. Since we lost, I feel truly pathetic both as an ace and as a captain,' but the evaluation from the scouts did not diminish.

In January of this year, he declared, "As an individual, there is the draft this year, so first I want to be called at the highest possible standings, and from there, become a professional and succeed," narrowing his career path solely to the pros from an early stage. Although he experienced frustration, such as missing out on the high school national team in September, he remained committed to being a two-way player as both a pitcher and a hitter and continued his practice.

Yamanashi Gakuin Principal Tadashi Yoshida expressed his expectations, saying, "It is an honor for the school. I want him to become a great player like Shohei Ohtani. Not as a second Ohtani, but I hope they will nurture his talent so he can become the first Komoda."

Haruki Komoda. Born December 21, 2008, in Onjuku Town, Chiba. 17 years old. He started playing baseball with the Onjuku Youth Baseball Club when he was in his first year at Onjuku Elementary School. During his time at Onjuku Junior High School, he played for Chiba Nishi Senior and participated in the Giants Cup in his third year. At Yamanashi Gakuin, he joined the bench for the Kanto Tournament in the spring of his first year. He has appeared in Koshien three times. 195 cm, 103 kg. Right-handed pitcher and batter. His role model is Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers).