Seibu Lions 's first-round draft pick, catcher Taiga Kojima (22), was mentored by Meiji University's head coach Toshimi Totsuka (61) and coach Kosuke Matsuoka (83), who visited the Nango training camp on the 11th.

At Nango Stadium, he kept a close eye on rundown plays and pitch practice in bullpen. He encouraged Kojima, who is struggling on both offense and defense in his new home, saying, "Do your best!" Reflecting on his time at Meiji University, number 10 expressed his gratitude, saying, "I was happy to have been able to play for four years on a team with such a long history, and I believe that the various guidance I received from the manager and coaches helped me grow over the past four years."

Eleven days have passed since the first camp started, and Kojima's batting skills have been met with praise from both inside and outside the team. Still, the rookie is far from complacent. "I believe I'm in a position where I have to climb up from the bottom, so I want to work hard with all my might every day," he said, quietly burning with fighting spirit. His goal is to make the opening day first team. He will hone his powerful hitting and hang in there. (Kato Hiroshi)