Toshiaki Imae, who appeared on "Pro baseball News 2026" broadcast on Fuji TV ONE on the 22nd, commented on Seibu Lions 's first-round draft pick, Taiga Kojima.

Imaeda praised Kojima, saying, "He's catcher, but his batting is just so good." "It's rare to find catcher can hit, but his batting swing is very simple. He's a textbook example of batting, and although there are many different ways to hit, his swing is very simple and easy to understand, or rather, it's easy to get the answer right. I think he'll be able to maintain a high batting average," Imaeda said, giving Kojima's batting skills high praise.

Regarding defense, he pointed out, "It's tough once you enter the world of professional baseball. It's not that easy. So, he needs to gain experience here. There's blocking and throw, but there's also pitch selection. He tends to overthink it and it affects his batting." He added, "He has good batting skills, so it's difficult to switch between defense and defense, but I hope he'll do his best," expressing his expectations for his performance both offensively and defensively.

In his first professional season, Kojima has played in 43 games so far, recording a batting average of .265, Home Run, and 9 RBI.

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