In his first year in Japan, Nevin played in 137 games, leading the batting lineup with a batting average of .277, 21 Home Run RBI and 63 RBIs. He signed a contract during the season and is expected to continue to perform well. We spoke to him about playing for The Lions and his enthusiasm for next season.

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The Lions have a young team on the rise. Which batters are Nevin interested in?

This season, The Lions have seen the emergence of young players. When asked about players on the team that interest him, he said, "Of course, I think everyone will continue to grow, but if I had to pick two in particular, I would say Nishikawa (Manaya Nishikawa) and Yamamura (Takayoshi Yamamura)."

"He's been doing extremely well towards the end of the season, and although he had a drop in form in the middle of the season, he's picked up again. I think he's very good at making adjustments like that, and I think he'll become a batter we can all look forward to."

He continued, "Then there's Seiya (Seiya Watanabe)." "The reason I didn't mention his name at first is because he already has the air of a veteran. When he's doing that well, it doesn't feel like he's a rookie anymore," he said, but added, "But I think he'll continue to grow from here."

He praised the defense masters, saying they could "make plays that change the flow of the game."

　Nevin 's appeal is not limited to his batting. He displays smooth handling of first baseman while defense, and his careful tosses to pitcher are also impressive. When asked what he focuses on defense, he replied:

"The most important thing is to move your feet and your body properly when you play. This is something my father taught me, but if you can consistently make plays that should result in an out, you will gain the trust of those around you."

On the team this season, Natsuo Takizawa has made many good plays at both second baseman and short stop, and defense master Sosuke Genda is still going strong. He praises them highly, saying, "They can turn out balls that no one thought would be able to be turned out, and they can make plays that change the flow of a game or an inning. They're really great players."

Also, in the game Hanshin Tigers on June 12th, a sign play that resulted in a pickoff out with the bases bases loaded and one out became a hot topic. Nevin himself was involved in that play as first baseman, and he looks back on it as follows:

"We practiced a lot during spring training to get the timing right, so it was great that we were able to make this kind of play in this situation. Even if we hadn't been able to get the out, it would have left an impression that we are a team that will do things like this, so in that sense it was a big play."

Nevin pumps his fist in excitement the moment he gets an out. This kind of behavior, which doesn't show in his performance, gets the fans excited.

Why did he choose The Lions? He's also grateful for the "blue flames" of the fans.

On June 23rd, the team announced that he had signed a two-year contract starting next season. Nevin explained why he chose The Lions despite having many other options.

"The team has been very supportive and devoted to me, and I've seen the players grow steadily throughout the season. I think the fact that they've been able to fight for such a long period of time with the goal of making it to the CS will only serve as fuel for their future growth. With this kind of future potential in mind, I decided to join this team."

In July, a personal cheer song was written for Nevin, and he has been receiving enthusiastic cheers from outfield stands. Regarding the "blue flames" of the fans, he said, "They always support me, and it's an honor that they took the time to write my own cheer song. It's fun to play while listening to a cheer song, so I'm very grateful in that sense as well."

The Lions finished in fifth place this season, but they have many promising young players. Next year, they are expected to aim for an even higher standings, and Nevin is expected to play a central role. Finally, we asked him about his enthusiasm for next season.

"Throughout the year, I want to focus on staying healthy and playing well, and on winning matches. I'm not the type to worry too much about my numbers or performance, so I just want to show the kind of play the team expects from me."

Interview and text by Kai Nagi Niwa