On the 19th, Seibu Lions announced that they have decided to send three players who are under contract as development players for the 2026 season—pitcher Kyazze Fred Isabirye Musa Azed pitcher the Republic of Uganda, and outfielder Carlos Tovar from the Republic of Slovenia—to the Shinano Grandserows of the Route Inn BC League.
In November of last year, the NPB formulated the "Saitama Seibu Lions Overseas Strategy" with the aim of strengthening its ability to acquire foreign players and expanding its system for discovering and developing foreign players who are expected to be active in the NPB in the future by utilizing its past training know-how. The program is based on this strategy, and the dispatch period is scheduled from March 22 (Sunday) to the end of the NPB season.
The aim of this dispatch is to encourage players' growth through practical experience by allowing them to participate in many games in an environment suited to their skill level. Furthermore, it aims to deepen cooperation with independent league teams, including those in the Route Inn BC League, and contribute to the overall development baseball in the future.
In addition, Daniel Yonemura, an international associate, will be dispatched at the same time to develop and support foreign players. He will provide comprehensive support for the players' growth, including assistance with their baseball skills and daily lives, as well as reporting on their progress to team officials.
▼ Comment from General Manager Hiroshi Hiroike
"The players we are sending this time have shown physical growth through changes in training and dietary environment since joining the team, and they have also positively tackled the rigorous training at the camp to adapt to Japanese baseball. However, they are still in the stage of growth, including in terms of physical strength and technical skills. We hope that they will gradually improve their abilities while learning how to utilize their strengths to perform well in actual games. With the Shinano Grandserows, in addition to gaining game experience, we hope that they will absorb many things, including Japanese baseball culture, the approach to training, and the attitude of fighting as a team. We hope that these experiences will form the foundation for them to play an active role as a player for The Lions in the future."
