◆Pre-season game Hiroshima 7-1 Nippon-Ham (22nd, Nago)

Nippon-Ham 's fifth-round draft pick, catcher Kaito Fujimori (Meitoku Gijuku High School), recorded the team's first hit in the opening game of the preseason, a feat not achieved since Sho Nakata in 2008 by a high school graduate rookie.

He came in as a pinch runner for Reyes in the third inning. In his first at-bat in the sixth inning, he grounded out to second base, but showed his true potential in his second at-bat in the eighth inning, when he led off the inning. He was easily cornered by two missed pitches, but he got count with a foul, ball, foul, ball, and then he hit cutter on the seventh pitch to the shortstop/third base area. He recorded his first hit with an infield hit to shortstop.

Fujimori smiled and said, "I was pretty persistent, so I thought the timing was gradually coming together, but I'm glad it ended up being an infield hit." Regarding his achievement, which was the first since Nakata Sho, he said with a wry smile, "Is it okay to be next to Nakata?", but proudly said, "I always try to change my batting style when I'm down two strike, so I think it was good that I was able to hit it with the opposite direction in mind."

This marks his third consecutive game with hit, following the Red-White game and the second-division training match. He made an impact with four hit in seven At Bat-bats in the actual game, and manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo gave him high praise, saying, "That was good, after he was cornered. If he hit it there, that's impressive." When he said, "Did he hit it? When I asked him, did he go for it (in the shortstop/third base position)? You can say anything after you get results (laughs)," Fujimori, who had heard the news, responded, "Just think of it as something you were aiming for (laughs)."

When asked if it was the manager's wish to call him up for the exhibition games, he praised him, saying, "That's right. I love the fact that the point location during free batting stays pretty much the same. Everyone is different, but it's great that he hits from that position, whether it's a little forward and a fly ball or a grounder. His free batting makes me want to watch, and it keeps me thinking. And he's producing results, too."

He also stated that he would be called up for the game against Hanshin Tigers on the 23rd (in Nago), but as for what will happen after that, he indicated his direction, saying, "I can't let him play anything other than catcher yet, so we won't be working together, but he's already had some input. We'll help him grow as catcher, and if catcher can't do that, there are other positions, and he's the kind of player that makes me want to broaden his horizons."

Even if he continues to make an appeal, the team said, "It's impossible. A high school student," and they plan to continue training him in line with the team's policy. Fujimori himself also spoke positively, saying, "I can't hit everything in the opposite direction yet. I think that's probably because my swing is weak or my legs are weak, so I'd like to start by building up my physique and work hard every day to swing more powerfully."