On the 27th, pitcher Futo Tsunoda (4th year, Toko Gijuku) of Fuji University, who was selected as the first-round pick by the Orix Buffaloes in the draft meeting on the 22nd, received a post-draft visit at the school in Hanamaki City, Iwate, from GM Junichi Fukura, Deputy Director of Scouting Shogo Makita, and Scout Satoshi Komatsu.

A ready-to-play right-handed pitcher who boasts a high strike out rate with a fastball reaching a maximum of 153 km/h and a variety of breaking balls. After tying the record with 19 strike outs in a single game against North Asia University last spring, he won the Most Valuable Player award this autumn with a 4-0 record and an ERA of 0.88 across five games. In July, he was also selected for the Japan collegiate national team for the World College Baseball Championship (WCBC).

The talented player known as 'Michinoku's Doctor K' secured his ticket to the pros as a first-round pick, the first from his school in two years since Yusuke Mugitani (Orix Buffaloes) in 2024. Tsunoda straightened his posture and said, 'After speaking today, I am firmly determined to do my best as a key player starting from my first year.' With the team's aces Miyagi, Yamashita, and Soya sidelined long-term due to surgeries, Manager Kishida expressed high hopes for him to join the starting rotation, saying, 'He will be our savior.' He added with conviction, 'His strengths are his ability to get many batters struck out, the power of his fastball, and the precision of his breaking balls. I want him to dominate games in professional baseball.'

His idol is Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers, who achieved the unprecedented feat of winning the pitching quadruple crown for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023 during his time with the Orix Buffaloes. He described his grand dream, saying, 'In my first year, I want to contribute as a key part of the team's strength. Along with that, I want to aim for the Rookie of the Year title. Ultimately, I am aiming to become the best pitcher in Japan, so I hope to become a pitcher that everyone acknowledges.'

Futo Kakuta. Born September 23, 2004, in Hirosaki City, Aomori. 22 years old. He started playing baseball with the Joto Sports Youth Group while at Joto Elementary School, and played for Fujisaki Ojo Little Senior while at Daiichi Junior High School. At Tokogijuku in Aomori, he joined the bench in the summer of his first year and wore number 1 from the autumn of his second year. In the summer of his third year, his team lost to Hachinohe Gakuin Kosei in the quarterfinals of the Aomori Tournament. He made his league debut in the autumn of his first year at Fuji University. His breaking ball repertoire includes the curveball, slider, cutter, and splitter. He is 178 cm and 84 kg. Right-handed pitcher and left-handed batter.