SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 4: Softbank Hawks 4-2 DeNA (28th, Mizuho PayPay)

Tetsuya Horii (64), the manager of Keio University and mentor to Softbank Hawks' Masaki, who was crowned MVP, sent a message of joy to Sports Hochi. In 2021, during his fourth year, Masaki was the driving force behind the university becoming the best in Japan and was the batter who won the MVP title. Horii revealed the secret behind that clutch performance. (Composition by Hiroshi Kato)

Masaki, congratulations on the MVP. I have been in command since the spring of his third year. For two years and four seasons, he remained the number four hitter until graduation. He possessed both batting power and flexibility, and his body was strong. He was a truly reliable presence.

In his fourth year, he led the team to their first national championship in 34 years at the university tournament. Actually, we had the worst possible start in the opening game of that spring league. We were shut down by Hosei University pitcher Ginji Miura (formerly of DeNA) with a 'no-hitter, one-run' game. Since it happened right at the start, everyone was completely dejected. Then, in the second game the following day, Masaki hit a tremendous home run to left-center off pitcher Hikaru Yamashita (formerly of Yakult). That one play instantly gave the team the momentum to feel like 'We can do this!', paving the way to the league title and the national championship. His home run possessed that kind of mysterious power.

He was teammates with Haruto Watanabe (currently of the Orix Buffaloes) during their middle school days with Setagaya Nishi Senior, and those two really practiced hard together. Even now, during the off-season, the two of them come to our practice facility and work diligently on weight training and hitting. Their sincere attitude serves as a living example and a goal for the students. I only hope that he continues to evolve into an even more amazing hitter.