On the 28th, Nippon-Ham's fourth-round draft pick, pitcher Sora Kato (a senior at Meisei University and alumnus of Horikoshi High School), received a post-draft visit from Scouting Director Obuchi and regional scout Ito at the university in Hino City, Tokyo.

A right-handed pitcher who boasts a maximum speed of 157 kilometers per hour. This diamond in the rough, whose appeal lies in the fastball thrown down from his 185-centimeter height and who was selected for the Best Nine in the second division of the Capital University League in the spring of his third year, promoted himself by saying, 'My first goal is to get promoted to the first team. I can pitch to the inside against any hitter and construct a sequence by being aggressive.'

He was a classmate of actor Fuku Suzuki at Horikoshi High School. Immediately after the draft meeting on the 22nd, Suzuki updated his X account, revealing that the two had been close friends since elementary school.

On that day, a congratulatory message saying "Congratulations" arrived via LINE. Although Suzuki is an enthusiastic Carp fan, he also revealed his "ambition" to have them visit ES CON FIELD for a ceremonial first pitch, dreaming of a "co-starring" appearance at the home stadium, saying, "It would be great if I could invite them."

After the interview, in response to requests from the press, Suzuki also smilingly performed the 'Maru Mori pose' from the drama 'Marumo no Okite,' which catapulted her to fame.

Sora Kato. Born December 29, 2004, in Tokyo. 21 years old. At Horikoshi, he joined the bench starting in the summer of his second year. In the East Tokyo Tournament during the summer of his third year, he wore number 10 and was eliminated in the quarterfinals. At Meisei University, he made his debut in the second division league in the fall of 2024. 185 cm, 92 kg. Right-handed pitcher and right-handed batter.