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

Aoyama Gakuin University catcher Kai Watanabe (4th year, Chiben Wakayama) was selected as the first-round pick by both the Rakuten Eagles and Chunichi, with the Rakuten Eagles winning the negotiating rights. GM Ishii, who drew the winning ticket with his left hand, breathed a sigh of relief, saying, 'I am relieved; it was the second most nervous I have been in my life. I felt from the start that this was the one.'

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 won 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 as the starting catcher in this July's World College Baseball Championship (WCBC). He possesses excellent captaincy, 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 university national team. As a valuable 'hitting catcher,' there are high expectations for him to be an immediate asset to the team.

Kai Watabe. Born August 20, 2004, in Osaka City. 21 years old. At Chiben Wakayama High School, he was a member of the bench starting from the summer of his first year. In his third year, his team was eliminated in the first round of the Summer Koshien, but he hit a total of 38 Home Runs during high school. At Aoyama Gakuin University, he made his league debut in the spring of 2023 during his first year and won the Rookie of the Year award. In 2024, he was named MVP. He is 180 cm tall and weighs 88 kg. He is a right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitter.