On the 8th, the Orix Buffaloes officially announced that club alumnus Kazuki Kondo will be appointed as the minor league pitcher coach. This marks his return to his former team for the first time in 11 years since his playing days in 2016. He expressed his determination, saying, 'I am half excited and half anxious. I was asked to help with young players who are struggling to grow and those returning from injuries, so I accepted without any reason to refuse. It is not exactly a way of giving back, but I want to contribute in that way.'

In the summer of 2001, he won the Koshien championship with Nihon University Third High School and joined Kintetsu as a seventh-round draft pick that same year. Following the team merger, he played for the Orix Buffaloes starting in 2005 and was traded to Yakult in the middle of 2016. In 2018, he was honored as the best reliever for the first time, and from 2021, he served as a player-coach for Kagawa in the Shikoku Island League. After retiring from active play in 2022, while coaching student baseball and other levels, he has also been active as a baseball commentator, primarily for Orix Buffaloes games.

In NPB, he appeared in a total of 347 games as a starter and reliever, recording 43 wins, 57 losses, 4 saves, and 71 holds. Reflecting on how he was plagued by repeated injuries during his playing days, he promised his support, stating, 'I have the impression that there are a lot of injured players (on the current team). I hope to put what I experienced into words effectively. Not irresponsible words, but words with responsibility.'

Furthermore, he envisioned his first coaching role in NPB, stating, "To some extent, it is necessary to be strict, but it is also necessary to be trusted. I hope we can build a relationship where we can speak our true feelings." He pledged to contribute to Manager Mamoru Kishida and Second-Team Manager Yoshihisa Hirano—both of whom he played alongside during his active career—saying, "I was always being helped by others. I hope I can be of even a little help to them."