"It's always been my goal, so I don't want to change that."

Lotte's Koki Yamaguchi has set a goal of hitting 30 Home Run every year since turning pro, and he intends to achieve that goal this season.

In his third year in 2021, Yamaguchi hit nine Home Run, including his first professional Home Run, and the following year in 2022, he hit three consecutive Home Run in three at-bats against Orix Buffaloes on September 22nd, giving him a team-leading 16 Home Run that year. He hit 14 Home Run in 2023, and although he only Home Run two in 2024, in August of 2025 he hit four consecutive Home Run in four at-At Bat, tying Pacific League League record.

Regarding his desire to hit 30 Home Run he said, "I definitely think I need to work towards that goal, so I want to keep pursuing it without wavering. If I waver now, I'll start to wonder what the point of playing baseball is and what I've been chasing up until now."

"Looking at the numbers so far, it's hard to say 30, but it's my goal, and it's been a goal since I joined the team, so I will never waver from that, and no matter what anyone says, I don't want to change that," he said emphatically.

Yamaguchi's challenge is "continuity." When asked what it takes to keep hitting Home Run throughout the season, he said at a press conference after contract renewal negotiations last year, "I think the mental aspect is also important. I think everyone feels the same when they're hitting, but when they're hitting, they think they can hit it, so if they tense up somewhere or start thinking about what they need to do somewhere, they won't get good results. I think it's important to stay calm when they step up to the plate, and the rest is just practice."

Regarding the "feelings" and "switching gears," when he met mixed martial artist Hiroya, he asked him about how to switch gears. Hiroya gave him the advice, "Everyone gets depressed sometimes. What's important is how you act afterwards!"

During his January training camp, he put in hard work at venues like Zozo Marine Stadium. Looking back on his February training camp in Miyakonojo, he said, "I'm glad I was able to finish feeling good without any injuries." He continued, "Now we'll be playing in real games, so I want to improve my feel for those." In a training game against Yakult on February 15th, with the score at 0-1 and no runner on base, he came up to bat in his fourth inning with no outs and Kota Shoji on a 1-ball count. He hit a huge home run to left field the instant he hit it, hitting the second straight fastball.

Since the team moved to Zozo Marine Stadium, the record for most Home Run by a Japanese player in a season is Home Run by Kiyoshi Hatsushiba (1995 and 1998). The last Japanese player to hit 30 or more Home Run in a season for the team was Hiromitsu Ochiai, who hit Home Run in 1986. Yamaguchi has had many moments of success, and his power is undeniable. If he can consistently hit long balls, reaching his goal of 30 home runs is not just a dream.

At the new player presentation held on December 4th, eight years ago, Yamaguchi, who was 18 years old at the time, loudly declared, "I want to hit more than 30 home run and become home run king." Eight years have passed since then. In the competitive world of professional baseball, he has gained many experiences, both good and bad. This season, he will achieve his goal.

▼ Players who have hit 30 or more Home Run in a season since Zozo Marine Stadium moved

M. Hall (1993 / 30 bottles)

Boric (2001 / 31 bottles)

D. May (2001 / 31 films)

Fernandez (2003 / 32)

Benny (2004 / 35 bottles)

Lee Seung-yeop (2005 / 30 books)

Laird (2019 / 32)

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita