Lotte's autumn practice was held at Zozo Marine Stadium on the 23rd.

Kyuto Ueda appeared in 66 games this season, the same as last season, and recorded a batting average of .243, 8 Home Runs, and 16 RBIs, but his OPS rose from .610 last year to .724. Since being promoted on June 10, he hit .267 with 6 Home Runs and 14 RBIs. In the final game of the season against the Softbank Hawks on October 3, during his third at-bat in the 8th inning with no runners out and the score 0-1, he hit his 8th solo Home Run to right field off a 133 km/h change-up thrown by Haru Matsumoto on the fourth pitch after two strikes, demonstrating his ability to hit Home Runs even against left-handed pitchers, which had been a challenge for him.

Reflecting on the game, he said, 'Since I hadn't been able to get a start against left-handed pitchers, I was focused on entering the game in a way that would lead to the next opportunity.'

There were times in September when his opportunities in the starting line-up decreased, but he proved his worth by delivering results at the very end of the season, recording 2 hits in the Rakuten Eagles game on September 29th, 2 hits in the Nippon-Ham game on October 1st, and 2 hits each in the Rakuten Eagles game on the 4th and the Seibu Lions game on the 5th after being given the chance to be in the starting line-up.

Ueda himself felt a sense of accomplishment, stating, 'As we entered the second half of the season and the number of remaining matches became clear, I felt I really needed to stay focused. I approached the game by concentrating on what I needed to do without worrying about the results, and I think that led to a positive outcome.'

Since last autumn, he has been working on challenges such as 'dealing with difficult pitch types' and 'seeking extra-base hits while increasing consistency.' Will he continue to work on these same areas this autumn and further refine them?

Similar challenges have persisted since last year, so I want to eliminate those issues. I haven't truly been able to fight through an entire season yet. I hope to level up my batting so that I can become a reliable asset to the team.

He will participate in the Australian Winter League from November 8th to December 21st. During the Winter League, it seems he will be focused on addressing and overcoming his specific challenges.

My on-base percentage was low, and my response after being cornered in the count was weak. I want to figure out what kind of approach I should take once I'm cornered, and I also think this is a valuable opportunity to consider in what situations I can aim for a home run, so I hope to work on it while keeping those things in mind.

In terms of defense, at the very end of the season, he appeared as a second baseman rather than a third baseman or first baseman. He stated, "I haven't actually been told where I will be playing defense, so I think it's better to be able to play various positions for next year as well. Since I can gain game experience, I hope to perform well whether I am at second base, third base, or first base."

In terms of second baseman defense, in the Oisix game on April 4th, with two outs and no runner in the 8th inning and the score 5-2, he caught a ground ball hit by Tenyu Higa with a backhand and made a jumping throw to first base for the out; then, in the Nippon-Ham game on October 1st, with one out and no runner in the 9th inning and the score 1-3, he performed a jumping catch on a ball hit by Yamagata that looked like it would go through to the center fielder.

I am still only focused on making sure I get the outs that need to be caught. The next stage involves pursuing speed, strength, covering, and set plays—there is still so much more to do. I hope to focus on those areas as the next level of my development.

In terms of batting, he finished the season in a way that gives great hope for next year. This autumn, while he is practicing his hitting, he is also frequently practicing his defense at second baseman, preparing himself to be able to play at any position.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita