On the 4th, Panasonic pitcher Seiya Kakimoto (24), who was selected as the second draft pick by the Seibu Lions, received a post-draft visit at the company's office in Kadoma City, Osaka.

After receiving a visit from Deputy General Manager Kosaku Akimoto and scout Mitsutaka Goto, Kakimoto expressed his dreams, saying, 'I was evaluated as someone ready to contribute immediately. I want to win the Rookie of the Year award and become a 200-win pitcher.'

Since his team, Panasonic, will be suspending its activities after this season, this will be his 'last' chance to enter the professional ranks. In the first round of the Japan Championship (October 31) following the draft, he held Nippon Life to zero runs over seven innings as a closer and clocked a personal best of 152 km/h. Ahead of the second round on the 6th, he vowed to become the national champion so that 'everyone can finish with a smile,' and expressed his determination to enter the pros while carrying the team's legacy, saying, 'If I can perform well and make the Panasonic baseball club known to the world, I think its revival might come sooner.'

Deputy General Manager Akimoto stated, "We evaluate him highly, just as the standings suggest. Manager Nishiguchi has mentioned using him as a starter, but he can also work in relief." He further praised the player, saying, "His control is good, and his breaking balls are excellent. We have been watching him since spring, and his condition improved rapidly starting from the Intercity Baseball Tournament in the summer. I believe he still has room to grow," expressing high expectations for his future potential.

Kakimoto said, 'My ideal is to be a pitcher who can win games. If I were to be greedy, I would want to throw long innings as a starter. I want to stay with the first team for a full year and get 10 or more wins.' Hiroshi Kaino, who served as the Seibu Lions closer from the middle of this season, is his senior from both Toyo University Himeji High School and Toyo University. Kakimoto gave a wry smile, saying, 'Since I have a thin frame, I asked him, "How can I get big like you, Kaino-san?" and he told me, "You'll get bigger as you get older."' After being selected in the draft, he received a message from Kaino saying 'Congratulations.' He intends to contribute to the team through a 'Toyo relay' from Kakimoto to Kaino.