Nippon-Ham outfielder Chusei Mannami (26) was appointed as the club's first 'Team Leader' on the 2nd. Appointed by Manager Shinjo, he gave a greeting at the Es Con autumn camp. At the appointment press conference, he gave a passionate statement of intent, saying, 'It was something I wanted to do. The boss said he didn't like the title of Captain because it was the same as everyone else, so I will be doing it in the form of Team Leader. My job is to create a situation where everyone can play baseball positively. I think it's difficult to think about the team when things aren't going well, so I want to manage things so that everything is organized, everyone's perspectives are aligned, and everyone feels like they are working toward the championship.' He will take on a captain-like role for the first time since Nishikawa in 2020.

He served as captain for only two weeks during junior high school, but as he says, 'I was stripped of the position because I was late too often,' this is essentially the first major leadership role of his life. The policy he has set for his leadership is the importance of discussion. This season, he felt there were many moments of frustration regarding communication, stating, 'There were many times I played in unfamiliar positions or in a different batting order than usual, and I felt that communication with the coaching staff was overwhelmingly lacking.' It is all for the sake of moving the team in a better direction. Next season, he will take on the role of a lubricant between the coaching staff and the players to lead the team to victory.

At the camp, he has already exchanged opinions with the young pitchers, stating, 'I hope there will be more opportunities for players to talk to each other; it shouldn't be a one-way street, but rather a team formed by various perspectives from various people.' He intends to create an atmosphere where everyone can speak up equally, regardless of age or position. Toward the long-awaited league victory, with 'Leader Mannami' at the center, they will establish an environment where all players can demonstrate their abilities to the fullest.