On the 2nd, Softbank Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo was pleased with the growth of infielder Akihiro, who is currently participating in the Miyazaki spring training camp with the A (first team) team. He watched intently from behind the cage as Akihiro batted powerfully, seemingly a completely different man from last year. "His batting has completely changed. I looked at it yesterday and today, the 2nd, and I think Akihiro is the one who has changed the most (since last year). He used to have a shallower top (of his backswing) and would bat from above, but now he's a little bigger, which allows him to create more distance (between the bat and the ball), and I feel like his batted ball speed and distance have improved," he said, praising the romantic hitter in his second year after being traded from The Giants.