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

The star of Osaka's public high schools, pitcher Shoto Okamoto (18) of Korigaoka, who boasts a top speed of 148 km/h, was selected as the fifth-round pick by Nippon-Ham. The moment he was selected, he gazed at the ceiling of a room at the school in Hirakata City, wiped away tears with his left hand, and embraced coach Takuya Kawamoto (36). 'I am truly filled with a sense of relief,' the right-hander said with moist eyes.

He is the 15th player from a public high school in Osaka to be drafted since Itsuki Murabayashi (Otsuka, infielder), who was selected 7th by the Rakuten Eagles in 2015. For a pitcher, he is the 12th player and the first in 22 years since Nobuaki Mizuochi (Shinoda), who was taken in the 10th round by the Hanshin Tigers in 2004. He expressed his honest feelings, saying, 'I am most happy that I was selected as a registered player.'

After being tossed in the air by his teammates and celebrated on their shoulders, his tears dried and his smile returned. "First, I want to focus on building up my body, and my goal is to win the title for most victories," he said with conviction. (Nao Furuta)