Orix Buffaloes Shuna Hori, a high school graduate now in his third year ( ), is working to improve his batting—an area he needs to address—with the goal of starting behind the plate for the first team for the first time in a year. catcher

"With fewer than 50 games left (for the first team), I want to make an impression so that I can be used as starting line-up again this year." Hori, who is always smiling, answered with a serious expression at the second team's facility in Maishima, just before the start of the second half of the season.

Hori joined the Orix Buffaloes as the fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Hōtoku Gakuen (Hyogo). In his rookie year, he appeared in 72 games in the Western League, where his aggressive approach at the plate led to 177 At Bat, 45 hit, 20 RBI, and a .254 batting average.In his second year, he appeared in three first-team games. On October 3, in a game against the Softbank Hawks (MIZUHO PayPay Dome)—his first time starting behind the plate for the first team—Nao Higashihama pitcher, he also hit his first professional hit.

However, in the minor leagues, he struggled, with 49 hit in 228 At Bat over 79 games, 13 RBI, and a batting average of .215, making improving his hitting a major theme for his third year. He maintained a batting average of over .300 at the start of the minor league season, but injured his leg while base running in a game against Hanshin Tigers Tigers on March 25th (Kyocera Dome), forcing him to stay out of action until mid-May.

During this time, in parallel with rehabilitation including electrotherapy and weight training, he also made minor adjustments to his batting form. He found that "having his feet open suits me better," and adopted an open stance with his left foot pulled far towards third base, which resulted in him hitting strong line drives to the right field. "They only go in the opposite direction, but they're getting hits. If I try to pull the ball, I end up hooking it and hitting ground balls, so I'm always conscious of hitting the inside of the ball," he said, adding, "It's gotten better since I started focusing on my timing."

His power hitting has also improved. In the game against Softbank Hawks on July 31 (at Tamasta Chikugo), he hit his first Home Run regular season to left field. Of his 33 hit, 8 were doble and 1 was Home Run, giving him a slugging percentage of .404 and an OPS of .746, a significant improvement from his second year (slugging percentage .260, OPS .493).

His goal for the second half of the season is to start behind the plate for the first team. This season, he was registered with the first team for one day in June as a substitute for a player on special leave due to bereavement or other special circumstances, and for six days in early July, but he did not get a chance to play due to team circumstances.
　
Nevertheless, he says he gained a lot from the experience. On July 3rd, immediately after his return to the team, he watched from the bench during a extra inning 12-inning game Seibu Lions (at Hotto Motto Kobe) that ended in a 4-4 tie. "There's so much to learn from watching. It was a great experience," he said, imprinting on his memory the fierce battle his seniors fought despite their fatigue from traveling all the way from Hokkaido that day. Now it's his turn to contribute as a player to a team aiming for a top-tier finish.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano