Softbank Hawks The evaluation of Masato Akihiro infielder (23) is rising rapidly. This offseason, he and his colleague Yamakawa The Giants ・Sakamoto have been training together, and he has changed his hitting form from a slip foot to a raised right foot. The team's manager, Hiroki Kokubo (54), also praised the "evolution" of the team. Softbank Hawks The reporter in charge, Nobuo Moriguchi, "saw" the evolution of the team.

I was left speechless after watching Akihiro's batting practice. His 200cm tall body hits huge fly balls. It doesn't matter how high or low the ball is, or if it swims a little, it doesn't matter. He hits balls over fences to the right and left.

Manager Kokubo praised Akihiro, saying, "The biggest change (since last year) is Akihiro. His armpits have gotten bigger, and he's been able to get more distance (between the bat and the ball), which has increased the ball's speed and distance." The reason for this "armpit" is his new form, with his leg raised.

Among the improvements he made to ensure smooth weight transfer, there was one point that Akihiro said "was everything." Shortly after starting his voluntary training with Yamakawa last November, he was told that his "pivot foot was bent." Until last season, his left leg would bend during the backswing, preventing him from transferring enough momentum to the bat. He also studied the movements of hitter, realizing they shared a commonality: "Yuto (Sakamoto) and Yanagita both didn't have a bent leg." In November and December, he also did four hours of strength training in the mornings, and ate three large lunches during the day. His increased muscle mass and decreased body fat are evident in his numbers, and he's got a new physique.

Sakamoto taught him how to respond when he is let off the hook. "I told him to focus on getting it under the ball. If it's a grounder, there's no chance. I just accept that flyouts are inevitable, and if it lands in a good spot, you'll get more hits." Even in batting practice, he gets a lot of fly balls when he is let off the hook. He is not swayed by the results, and he is determined to believe in and stick to what he has learned from two of the baseball's best hitter. He is an unfinished talent waiting to be awakened. Even more than usual, we can't help but have high expectations for him. (Moriguchi Noboru)