On the 3rd, Softbank Hawks infielder Yudai Shoji of Samurai Japan hit the first home run of the Iguchi era during free batting practice. The 24-year-old short stop, a rising star who supported The Hawks' championship run, displayed an impressive shot over the right-field fence, immediately making a strong case for a spot in the starting line-up.

Samurai Japan, participating in the 'Luxas Asia Professional baseball Championship 2026' (November 12-15 at Tokyo Dome), started their training camp in Miyazaki today. This tournament registers players under the age of 24 or in their third year of professional play, and also adopts an overage slot system. Promising young players such as Takemaru from The Giants, Muneyama from the Rakuten Eagles, and Nishikawa from Lotte are participating in the camp, while Masaki from the Softbank Hawks, Yamaguchi from Lotte, and Tatsumi from Hiroshima have been selected for the overage slots.

Samurai Japan is moving forward with Manager Iguchi at the helm, setting a goal to win the gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. However, the road ahead is not easy. Only six teams will participate. The host nation, the United States, along with Venezuela, who won the WBC in March, and the Dominican Republic, a top-four finisher, have already secured their spots. Japan will earn a spot if they finish as the top team in Asia at the 2027 Premier 12, which serves as a qualifier; if they fail to do so, they will have to compete for the final remaining slot in the world final qualifying tournament scheduled to be held by March 2028.