Nippon-Ham pitcher Leo Shibata (20) gave advice on being a two-way player on the 15th to pitcher Haruki Komoda (17), who was selected as the first-round draft pick from Yamanashi Gakuin. Welcoming his junior who aspires to follow the same path and who completed his provisional contract on the 13th, he said, 'It's all about trial and error. Personalities and individuals are different. You just have to find what works for you.'

As a senior two-way player, what he wanted to convey was the importance of role models. 'It might be difficult if you try to combine pitching and hitting into one, but if you think of them separately, it is not that hard. If you have a clear image and decide on a model, things will start to come into view.' At the beginning of his career, he also went through trial and error regarding time management and training methods. He set Darvish as his ideal for a pitcher and Ohtani for a hitter, studying their videos intensely to use them as a guide. 'I am very bad at creating something from zero to one. I think it becomes easier to move forward once you find someone to look up to,' he said, showing consideration for his junior.

On this day, he participated in training for developmental players at the minor league facility in Kamagaya, Chiba. With Reyes, who will primarily serve as the DH next season and beyond, remaining on the team, it will be difficult for him to appear as a DH. He stated, 'It's a three-way role that no one else is doing. It's a new barrier,' and he is developing a plan to conduct defense practice at positions such as first base during the off-season.

In his second season this year, he recorded an ERA of 2.03 in 8 games as a pitcher. As a fielder, he hit his first professional Home Run and maintained a batting average of .355. 'I hope to prepare during the off-season so that I can be put into games,' he said. Turning the emergence of younger players into strength, he will continue to create new legends. (Haruki Kawakami)