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

Ritsumeikan University pitcher Gaku Arima (22), who was selected in the second round by the Softbank Hawks, and catcher Keiya Nishino (22) of the same university, who was selected in the second round by Hiroshima, expressed their excitement about reuniting as a battery for Samurai Japan and facing each other in interleague play. Arima, who said he could not sleep at all last night, had tears in his eyes as he remarked, 'The biggest feeling I have right now is one of true relief.'

Arima is a strikeout specialist who used his sharp slider as a weapon to set a tournament record with 10 consecutive hitters struck out in the first round of the 2025 Meiji Jingu Tournament against Tokyo University of Agriculture Hokkaido. His partner behind the plate, Nishino, also shone as the leading hitter this spring with a .348 batting average. Known for his strong arm and skillful hitting, his second-base throw time is 1.80 seconds, leading manager Masayuki Katayama to remark that his arm is even stronger than that of alumnus Atsuya Furuta.

Although they belong to different leagues, their presence serves as a mutual inspiration. When asked about his strategy if they were to face each other, Nishino requested, "I want him to come at me with nothing but fastballs." Arima dodged this by saying, "I don't want to get hit, so I'll throw nothing but breaking balls!" Furthermore, if both are selected for Samurai Japan, there is a possibility of reuniting as a battery. Nishino drew up a blueprint, saying, "I hope we can both grow and form a pair once again," and they vowed to reunite in the best possible way. (Mei Fujita)