In the draft meeting on the 22nd, the Rakuten Eagles acquired the negotiating rights for Aoyama Gakuin University catcher Kai Watanabe as their first-round pick. After the meeting, GM Kazuhisa Ishii and Manager Masato Yoshii visited the Aoyama campus in Tokyo to give their post-selection greetings.

Watanabe is the number one university catcher with a strong arm and powerful hitting. He achieved a national championship in the summer of his second year at Chiben Wakayama and secured four national titles at Aoyama Gakuin University. He is a "guaranteed winner" with excellent captaincy. GM Ishii is enamored not only with his skills but also his character. "I went for an interview before, and his human strength is incredible—I think he has more than I do. At the point where I felt his mental age was higher than mine, I realized he has truly been through many intense situations. He definitely possesses a winner's mentality," he praised eloquently.

Acquired through a two-team competition with Chunichi. GM Ishii served as the lottery drawer and secured the negotiating rights. He challenged this time as well with his left hand, the 'winning hand' he used to draw Hayakawa in the 2020 draft when four teams were competing. 'When I'm serious, I use my left. I couldn't afford to miss here, as it was truly the most important moment. It was a situation where I had to get him even if it meant shaving off my own life force,' he said. He pulled in the red thread of fate.

His superstitious ritual also paid off. 'I wore the tie I had on when I won the most draft lotteries. I had prepared two ties, as I intended to wear an Aoyama Gakuin University tie when meeting Watanabe-kun (for the post-draft greeting).' His meticulous preparations bore fruit, and he couldn't stop smiling.