On the 14th, Nippon-Ham held a joint intrasquad game between their first and second teams at their first-team training camp in Nago. Rookie catcher Kaito Fujimori (18, Meitoku Gijuku), a fifth-round draft pick making his first appearance in a real game, doble the left-field line off pitcher Leo Shibata (19) in his second at-bat. Manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo (54), who was watching, also praised him.

Fujimori hit the outside fastball in the opposite direction. The sharp hit went down third base line. starting line-up started as the eighth batter and designated hitter, and in his second at-bat in the fourth inning with one out and no runner on base, he hit a 148 km/h pitch from Shibata, the third pitcher for the Whites. It was his first professional hit, doble the left field line. The rookie modestly struck a "DOMI!" pose and reflected, "I was nervous and couldn't play my best in my first at-bat. In my second at-bat, I hit the ball with the intention of getting a good result no matter what."

It was his first real game, where he was able to address both issues and gain something. "Swinging at low balls is my weakness," he analyzed, and in his first at-bat he struck out swinging at a sinking ball when he was backed into a tight spot. However, in his second at-bat, with the score at 2-2, he missed a low fork and got a hit with full count. He even hit a fastball, which he is not good at, and laughed, saying, "Fast balls have always been my weakness, and I've been practicing them for a long time, so I think my practice is paying off."

Manager Shinjo also highly praised him, saying, "It's quite difficult to hit a fastball of nearly 150 km/h squarely in your first year, but he managed to hit it well down the left field line, and he was persistent and had a good swing. I thought he was impressive." However, he is still only 18 years old. First, he will hone his skills in the farm system and aim to become a hitting catcher can support the team in the near future. (Yasushi Yamaguchi)

◆Fujimori Kaito Born June 27th, 2007. Originally from Nemuro, Hokkaido. 18 years old. Entered the prestigious Meitoku Gijuku High School from junior high school. Played at Koshien in the summer of his second year of high school and the spring of his third year. Last September, he played for the U-18 Japan national team at the U-18 World Cup. He contributed to the team's runner-up finish as the second batter and left fielder. Joined Nippon-Ham as the fifth pick in the 2013 draft. 176 cm, 73 kg. Throws right-handed and bats left-handed. Estimated annual salary: 5.3 million yen.