On Seibu Lions 27th, Saitama Seibu Lions announced that, as part of their overseas strategy, they have signed a development contract with Indian pitcher Akshay More for the 2026 season. This marks the first time an NPB team has signed a player from India.
pitcher More boasts an impressive physique of 194cm and 88kg, along with high athletic ability. pitcher throws powerful fastball in the high 140s km/h range with a smooth pitch form, and also possesses a distinctive fork. His potential was highly evaluated during the tryout held in June of this year, and despite having only played baseball for about six years, his sincere attitude towards baseball and his desire for improvement were also highly valued, leading to the signing of a developmental player contract.
Saitama Seibu Lions overseas strategy is an initiative that has been promoted since November 2025 with the aim of strengthening the team's ability to acquire foreign players and expanding the system for discovering and developing foreign players who are expected to play an active role in NPB in the future, by utilizing the development know-how that the team has cultivated.
▼ Mole's Profile
Date of birth: December 4, 2003
Height/Weight: 194cm/88kg
Place of origin: India
Position: pitcher
Throwing/batting: Right-handed pitching/Right-handed batting
number: 146
▼ Mole
"I am truly grateful to The Lions for giving me this wonderful opportunity. I will do my best to contribute to the team's win while learning a great deal from my teammates and coaches. I will also continue to work hard every day, never forgetting to be humble, and grow so that I can become a player that the fans can trust. I look forward to the day I can meet you all."
▼ Hiroshi Hiroike, Director and General Manager of the Baseball Team
"Mole pitcher, whose dream was to play in the baseball in Japan, is a pitcher known for his long extension, which he makes the most of thanks to his tall stature. In addition to his fastball with a max speed of 150 kg, he also commands a full repertoire of breaking ball, including sinker, splitter, change-up, and the curveball. He is an athlete who has also placed second in India’s national judo championships, and his sincere personality is another appealing trait.He performed well last year in “Baseball United,” the first professional baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia, and demonstrated great potential for the future during tryouts this past June, so we have decided to sign him to a development contract. We hope he will grow significantly at The Lions and become a beacon of hope for those playing baseball in India.”
