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

Rakuten Eagles selected Aoyama Gakuin University's Kai Watanabe as their first-round draft pick, and after a competitive draw with Chunichi, GM Kazuhisa Ishii, who successfully won the rights, expressed his joy with a smile.

"For now, I'm just relieved. That was the second most nervous I've ever been in my life."

He drew the lottery ticket with his left hand and expressed his intention to head out for a greeting, immediately describing the route to Aoyama Gakuin University: 'From the start, I thought, "This is the one." Since he is a wonderful catcher, I think Gaien Higashi Street will be a bit crowded, so I will turn left from Gaien Nishi Street onto Route 246 and hurry toward the Aoyama Gakuin Main Gate Street.'

With a smile, he said, "Since we have this connection, I want to make sure he becomes a first-class player as part of the team. Let's work hard together. It will probably only take about 20 minutes to get there, so I look forward to working with you."

Among the top-ranked players in recent years, Tatsumi, Hayakawa, and Muneyama, in addition to Shoji, have grown into key mainstays of the team.

This season, the team suffered a sharp decline after May and finished in last place. Manager Yoshii took over mid-season and is currently aiming to rebuild the team.

The batting lineup struggled with a lack of scoring power, but there are many bright spots. Muneyama, Nakajima, and YG Yasuda each performed well in the second half of the season. It is also certain that the main slugger McCusker will remain with the team, raising expectations for further improvement next season.

Regarding the catchers, the mainstay Ota has acquired free agency rights this season, making his future uncertain. The heavy-hitting YG Yasuda is increasingly being deployed at first base, resulting in a situation where the depth of the catcher rotation cannot be described as thick.

Looking at the pitching staff, there are many exciting players. Shoji, who served as the opening day pitcher, showed growth in the final stages and recorded a career-high 9 wins. He has also won the title for most strike outs. High-ability young starters like Koja and Tatsuki Ito are also waiting in the wings. The ace Hayakawa and veterans Kenta Maeda and Kishi are stable and provide a reassuring presence. In the relief squad, in addition to the closer Fujihira, players like Tai and the rookie Kutani are also emerging. If they can increase the depth of their roster, they hold the potential to become a pitching powerhouse.

Last year, they acquired Fujiwara with their first pick and the right-handed pitcher Tatsuki Ito with their second pick. They delivered promising performances toward the end of the season. By strengthening their roster through the draft, they aim to reach the top of the standings next season.

Rakuten Eagles' first-round draft picks over the past 10 years

2016 Naomichi Fujihira (Yokohama) Pitcher

2017: Kotaro Kiyomiya (Waseda Jitsugyo), Infielder

x Munetaka Murakami (Kyushu Gakuin) Catcher

Hiroki Kondo (Okayama Shoka University) Pitcher

2018: Missed - Kyota Fujiwara (Osaka Toin) Outfielder

Ryosuke Tatsumi (Ritsumeikan University) Outfielder

2019: Roki Sasaki (Ofunato), Pitcher

Hiroto Kobukata (Osaka Gas) Infielder

2020 - Takahisa Hayakawa (Waseda University) Pitcher

2021, Soshi Yoshino (Shohei), Outfielder

2022 - Kosei Shoji (Rikkyo University) Pitcher

2023 - Hayato Tsunehiro (Aoyama Gakuin University) Pitcher

X Yugo Maeda (Osaka Toin) Pitcher

Itsuki Koja (Toin University of Yokohama) Pitcher

2024 Rui Muneyama (Meiji University) Infielder

25th Year, Akihiro Fujiwara (Hanazono University), Pitcher

(Circle indicates negotiation rights acquired, X indicates lost in the lottery)