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

Orix Buffaloes GM Junichi Fukura rated the draft as a perfect score. With aces such as Miyagi and Yamashita sidelined for long periods due to surgery, the theme was strengthening the pitching staff with a focus on starters, and five out of the six players selected for the main roster were pitchers.

The first-round pick, pitcher Futo Tsunoda from Fuji University, and the second-round pick, pitcher Shin Nakai from Komazawa University, are right-handers ready for immediate action. With the fourth-round pick, pitcher Ruito Kondo from Otaru Futaba, the fifth-round pick, pitcher Ryosuke Nomura from Bukkyo University, and the sixth-round pick, pitcher Yuga Chiba from Honda, the team made a well-balanced selection of high school, university, and corporate league players.

The third-round pick from Osaka University of Commerce, outfielder Akito Haruyama, who was the only fielder selected for the main roster, is also a player with high expectations as a right-handed power hitter. GM Fukura nodded deeply and said, '(Tsunoda) was the most highly rated among us. We were able to take the players we wanted in order of their evaluation. It went almost exactly as planned. It's close to a perfect score. I am satisfied.'