Hiroki Nomura, who appeared on "Pro baseball News 2026" broadcast on Fuji TV ONE on the 16th, commented on Lotte's Yuto Kimura.

Nomura speculated about Kimura, saying, "From what I've seen, he has a curveball that breaks vertically, which is a troublesome pitch for batters. fastball also has good velocity and power, so I think he'll be pitching by mixing his breaking ball, fastball, and off-speed pitches."

He added, "When you think about it over the course of a year, there may be good times and bad times, but the question is whether he can minimize the bad times and somehow get through the year with fewer ups and downs. He's pitcher with that kind of potential. I hope he can do it."

In his second professional season last year, he pitched both as a starter and reliever, appearing in 22 games and throwing 68 innings, recording 3 wins, 2 losses, 5 hold, 1 ERA, and an ERA of 3.31. Further progress is expected in his third season this year.

☆ Cooperation: Fuji TV ONE "Professional baseball News 2026"