On the 31st, Keisuke Imazu (21), an infielder from Keio University and Nippon-Ham's 5th round developmental draft pick, received a congratulatory visit from Scouting Director Obuchi and Scout Yamamoto at the school in Yokohama. The captain, who grew up in a family of politicians and once listed his future dream as 'Prime Minister,' revealed his determination to temporarily 'seal away' that ambition and push forward on the path of baseball.

Born in Asahikawa, he has been a Fighters fan since childhood. During his elementary school years, he used to cheer them on at Asahikawa Starffin Stadium. 'I watched from the third-base side as Shohei Ohtani pitcher pitched as the starter,' he recalled. Now, it is his turn to fire up Hokkaido.

His father, Kansuke, is the mayor of Asahikawa, and his grandfather, Hiroshi, was a former member of the House of Representatives. While he harbors thoughts of entering politics in the future, he expressed his determination to swing the bat with total focus on earning a spot on the active roster, saying, 'First, I want to make my mark as a baseball player.' After moving to Tokyo from Asahikawa Higashi, a public college-preparatory school, he underwent intense training and eventually took on the heavy responsibility of captaining the Keio University baseball team, which has over 200 members. 'I want to be a player who can hit the one that decides the game in crucial moments,' Imazu said. Dreaming of the day he will respond to the cheers at Es Con Field, he is determined to rise to the top. (Hiroshi Kato)