Kento Inui, a right-handed pitcher in his second year as a developmental player for Orix Buffaloes, turned 20 on June 28th and vowed to succeed on the professional baseball stage, the same stage his grandfather played in.

"He passed away when I was very young, so I don't have any memories of playing with him, but I'd like to become a regular player soon and stand on the same stage as him." Inui's eyes lit up as he approached his 20th birthday.

Inui is from Mito City. He joined Orix Buffaloes from Kasumigaura High School as the 6th pick in the 2024 developmental draft. In the summer Koshien of his third year, he appeared in number "11," pitching in the third round as the 1st inning, closer with three hitter batters. His strength lies in throwing a fastball from 188 cm with a top speed of 144 km/h, a curve, and a change-up to help players hit and catch the ball.

His grandfather was Kunio Inui, who was from Osaka Prefecture and joined Hanshin Tigers Tigers (now Hanshin Tigers) in 1942 after graduating from Keihan Commercial High School (now Osaka Prefectural Ashima High School). He played as infielder. In his professional career, he appeared in 136 games, recording 44 hits At Bat 257 hit for a batting average of .171, 2 Home Run, and 9 RBI.

Kunio, who lived with Inui, passed away when Inui was about five years old. Apparently, there were some of his grandfather's gloves and bats at home, but Inui says he has no memory of them, and that he started playing baseball after being encouraged by his friends' mothers. In high school, he was able to pitch at Koshien Stadium where his grandfather also played, during the summer championship tournament, but his next goal is to become a regular player. Although development players are also "professional baseball players," they cannot play in first-team games unless they are registered as regular players, so in reality, they are treated more like "trainees." To play on the same stage as his grandfather, becoming a regular player is the minimum requirement.

In his first year, he got off to a slow start due to shoulder pain, but this season, his second year, he has gained experience by appearing in 12 games (18 inning) as a relief reliever, mainly in practice games. In mid-April, he stopped using the "two-stage motion" he adopted after joining the team and returned to his high school pitching form. "The power output was good, but there was a big difference between my good and bad days. I also lost my timing, so I consulted with my coach myself." It was a form he had worked on for a year, but he had no doubts. The fact that he had grown physically in the past year also encouraged his decision. His weight, which was 88kg when he joined the team, has increased by about 10kg, and his muscle mass has also increased by about 4kg.

In live batting practice sessions after correcting his pitching form, hitter commented that "his pitches feel stronger and faster than before." His fastball velocity has increased from 135 km/h to the low 140s km/h, and his control is also improving.

During contract negotiations in his first year, the team expressed their expectations, saying, "For now, just focus on building a solid foundation, and we hope you'll blossom in three years." His role models pitcher pitcher Hiroshi and Raiku Katayama, who are both reliever relief pitchers. "I'm using their quick pitches and how they disrupt hitter 's timing as references," Inui said. pitcher Seiryu Kotajima, who is also from Ibaraki Prefecture, is another player he looks up to.

Even before he joined the team, he was the talk of his hometown, with people saying, “There’s a fun, cheerful, and energetic player from Ibaraki on Orix Buffaloes.” I also knew that his entrance song was “Ah, Life Has Its Tears,” which begins with the line “Life has its joys and its sorrows”—the theme song from the TV period drama *Mito Kōmon*.“I think it’s a great song for an entrance theme. Since I’m from Mito myself, I’d like to use it,” said Inui.

His goal for this season is to "pitch in 20 games in the minor leagues." He mainly pitches in practice games with development players, but in his last two games, he has gained experience hit two inning without allowing Walk or runs. "Until now, I have often walked the leadoff hitter, so I want to challenge hitter with my strike zone without backing down. I have become able to get ahead count with change-up and curveball, so I think I will be in even better condition if I can increase my velocity." He throws with enthusiasm today, imagining himself playing brilliantly as a regular player.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano