Rakuten Eagles outfielder Naoki Sato (27) continues to make his case for becoming a regular player in his new home.

He joined the team through the active player draft from Softbank Hawks, and started his first training camp since the transfer with the first-team squad in Kin Town, Okinawa. He has made his presence felt by hitting sharp balls in a wide range and hitting multiple runs over the fence. After completing his first training session on the 3rd, he said with a satisfied look on his face, "Everyone is kind, and I'm able to work in a comfortable environment."

Last season, Sato played in 104 games for Softbank Hawks, which boasts a deep player pool, batting .239 with 5 Home Run and 18 RBI. The 27-year-old, who has great potential in running, hitting, and defense, has a good chance of being in the starting starting line-up for the opening game.

outfield competition for Rakuten Eagles is fierce. Led by Nakajima, who broke out last season, Ogo and Tatsumi are looking to make a comeback, and the foreign player duo of McCusker and Gonzalez are competing. With the remarkable growth of young players like Muto and Yoshino, the competition is intensifying.

The first session of spring training ended on the 3rd. The 4th is a rest day, and the second session begins on the 5th. With more practice sessions based on actual games expected, attention will be focused on the battle between young players, mid-career players, and foreign players to prove themselves.