Fukuoka Softbank achieved their first Pacific League three-peat since moving to Fukuoka and also broke through the "Persol CS P" Final Stage. While preparing for the battle to become Japan Series champions for the second consecutive year, the "Professional baseball Draft Meeting supported by Lipovitan D" will be held on October 22nd.

One year ago in the fall, four players were selected for the main roster and eight players for the developmental roster by Fukuoka Softbank. This time, we look back at the rookie years of the players who made their first-team debuts, including pitcher Gota Suzuki, who contributed to the league championship.

Gota Suzuki earned his first professional win by putting out the fire with a single pitch, while Ryukei Takahashi hit his first Home Run as a pinch hitter.

Draft 2nd pick, Ryuta Inagawa pitcher (Kyushu Kyoritsu Univ.), made the opening day roster after appealing with four consecutive scoreless games in the preseason. On April 1st against Tohoku Rakuten Eagles, he made his professional debut in the final inning with a five-run lead. However, he allowed 1 runs with 2 Walk and two wild pitches. He was unable to finish 1 inning, resulting in a bitter debut. In July, he underwent surgery for a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee.

Draft 3rd pick, Gota Suzuki pitcher (Osaka University of Commerce), also made the opening day roster along with Ryuta Inagawa pitcher. His professional debut was on April 7th against Saitama Seibu Lions, in the top of the 9th inning while trailing by three runs. He gave a Walk to the lead-off hitter Sosuke Genda, but induced a double play from the following hitter Junichiro Kishi. Finally, he recorded his first professional strike out against Yuta Nakamizo, finishing his debut with no runs.

After a period of farm adjustment in late April, he was promoted again in May. He produced results with 13 consecutive scoreless games from the May 20th game against Orix Buffaloes to the July 11th game against Tohoku Rakuten Eagles. In the June 25th game against Orix Buffaloes, in the top of the 6th inning with the score tied and a one-out bases loaded crisis, he induced a double play on a single pitch, and his teammates took the lead immediately after. In his 15th appearance, he earned his first professional win. On June 28th against Chiba Lotte Marines, he also recorded his first professional hold.

In his first professional year, he appeared in 40 games, the 6th most on the team, and left excellent results with 4 wins, 1 loss, 5 hold, and an ERA of 1.74. At the press conference for the league championship, Manager Kokubo praised his performance enough to mention Gota Suzuki's name, saying, 'He showed very stable pitching with a calmness that makes it hard to believe he's a rookie.' In the 'PERSOL CS Pa' Final Stage, he also delivered a great relief performance in Game 1 that created the momentum for the team's comeback victory.

Draft pick 5, Takanori Takahashi (JR East), was selected for his professional debut and first starting line-up as the "number 8, first baseman" in the game against Hiroshima on May 31, but he struck out three times. His second professional appearance came as a pinch hitter in the game against Yokohama DeNA on June 6. In the top of the 9th inning with two outs and no runner, he swung hard at a breaking ball and sent it into the left-field stands. Using his frustrating debut as a springboard, he marked his first professional hit with his first home run.

In his first professional year, he was limited to 4 games, recording 2 hits and 1 Home Run in 6 At Bat. In the farm league, he appeared in 98 games, the second most in the Western League, recording a .244 batting average, 3 Home Runs, and a .343 on-base percentage, raising expectations for a breakthrough next season.

​Hokuto pitcher (Chuo University), who joined as the 8th pick in the developmental draft, is a right-hander who drew attention for his background in semi-hardball baseball. His appeal paid off, including a 1-run complete game win in the farm league in June, and he signed a standard contract on July 1st. In his professional debut and first start on July 4th against the Chiba Lotte Marines, he took his first loss after giving up 8 runs in 2 innings. Nevertheless, he has recorded solid numbers in the farm league with 14 games, 3 wins, 1 loss, and an ERA of 2.61.