Players who won titles in the minor leagues. Their next goal is to succeed in the major leagues.

Eastern League and Western League concluded on September 28th, and the lineup of title holders in the minor leagues was also determined. For players who have won titles in the minor leagues, the next goal will be to demonstrate their abilities on the major league stage.

This time, we will look at the players who were part of Pacific League teams at the time and won the minor league titles over the past six years. In addition, we will also introduce the players who have performed well on the major league stage since the following year, and we hope to see further growth from the players who won titles this season.

Hiroya Miyagi has grown into a left-handed ace, while Otake Kotaro has blossomed at his new club.

The following are pitcher who were part of Pacific League League at the time and won titles in the minor leagues after 2020. (Titles won are in bold.)

Kohtaro Otake pitcher had a great year in 2020, winning three pitcher titles in the Western Division: most wins, best ERA and first in winning percentage. Fukuoka Softbank In 2023, he moved to Hanshin Tigers and since then, he has won 9 or more games and scored 2 ERA points for 3 consecutive years. He was a major contributor to two league championships as a mainstay and blossomed starter in his new home.

Along with Otake pitcher, he won the award for most wins in Western in 2020 Hiroya Miyagi pitcher got his big break the following year in 2021, when he won the Rookie of the Year title with 13 wins. From that year on, he recorded double-digit win wins for three consecutive years, and he has finished with 140 inning or more for five consecutive years. As the left ace, he helped his team win three consecutive league championships and has continued to make his presence felt as one of the core members of the starting lineup to this day.

　Tsubasa Namatame pitcher was consistent pitch with a 2.30 ERA in 2021 and won the best ERA in the Eastern. The following year, 2022, he failed to produce, but in 2024, he pitched in 43 games for the first team, his most, and recorded 10 hold points and one save. In 25 games this season, he has also posted constant numbers of 6 hold and ERA 2.30, and has developed into a valuable piece of the bullpen

　Takehiro Hasegawa pitcher won the title of most wins in the Eastern Division in 2023 with an eight-game unbeaten streak while relieving the team. The following year, in 2024, he was drafted in the active draft Fukuoka Softbank and pitched in a personal best 32 games in his new home, giving up 10 hold points and a consistent ERA 2.49, pitch and contributing to the league championship that same year as a valuable left reliever

Kotaro Kiyomiya and Eito Takabe grew into key players for the team the following year.

Next, let's take a look at the fielder who were part of Pacific League League at the time and won titles in the minor leagues after 2020. (Titles won are in bold.)

Daiki Mimori had a batting average of .323 and an on-base percentage of .397 at Western in 2020, and won the top hitter and the highest on-base percentage. The following year, in 2021, he was appointed to 86 games for the first team, and from 2022, he played in 102 games for the second consecutive year. Taking advantage of his quick feet and sure hitting, he recorded 50 stolen base in three years, and after winning the title in the second team, he increased his opportunities to play in the first team and showed his performance as the main force of the second baseman.

　Kotaro Kiyomiya hit 19 Home Run in 2021 to win the Eastern Home Run championship, and showed his innate slugging power with a batting average of .199, although he lacked certainty. Although he did not play a single game for the first team in the same year, in 2022, he played in 129 games for the first team and hit 18 Home Run to reach his first regulation at-bat. Since the same year, he has recorded double-digit Home Run for four consecutive years, supporting the team's breakthrough as a main hitter.

In 2020, his first year as a professional, 　Eito Takabe missed the Eastern hitter lead by just 1 percent, but in 2021, he won the Eastern stolen base title with 28 stolen base. In 2022, he took the regular position in the first team and recorded 44 stolen base, and after the second team, he won the stolen base championship in the first team. In the same year, defense, who won the Golden Glove Award, also shone and is still active in both running offense and defense.

　Yoshiaki Watanabe The player has been active on the first-team stage since his first year as a professional, but in 2023, his fifth year, he suffered from a batting average of .143 in the first team. However, in the second team, he had an outstanding batting average of .372 and an on-base percentage of .437, and despite the lack of regulation at-bats, he won the Eastern leader hitter and the highest on-base percentage. The following year, in 2024, he batted .250 in the first team and .279 in 2025, and since winning the title in the second team, his batting performance has also recovered.

　Daito Yamamoto recorded 19 Home Run and 66 RBI in 2024, winning two Eastern Home Run and RBI crowns. The following year, in 2025, he played in more than 100 games for the first time in the first team, recording 11 Home Run, which is second on the team. Although he still has a batting average of .205 and still has issues with certainty, he showed signs of solid growth, such as serving as the No. 4 hitter at one point, and showed his presence as a young long-range gun candidate in an environment where he threw high and hit low.

Will the players who won titles in the minor league this season be able to make a big leap forward from now on?

As the fact that there are many players who have won titles in the minor leagues but have not been able to fully demonstrate their true potential in the major leagues shows, winning titles in the minor leagues does not guarantee success in the major leagues. However, it is important to note that there are players such as pitcher Miyagi, Takabe, and Yuki Kiyomiya who have grown into mainstays of their teams the following year, and pitcher Otake and Hasegawa who have blossomed after being transferred to pitcher.

This season, Naoki Arizono won the triple crown of batting hitter, Home Run champion, and highest on-base percentage in the Eastern League, while Yoshiyasu Sasakawa won the double crown of Home Run and RBI in the Western League. Furthermore, pitcher Katsutoshi Tai reached the 30-save mark and won the Eastern League's Most Saves pitcher Award, and young hopefuls with promising futures are capturing titles.

Will the players who won the minor league title in 2025 be able to make a leap in the major league from next season onwards and follow in the footsteps of past successes? We look forward to the emergence of players who can translate their strong performances in the minor league into success in the major league and greatly liven up Pacific League.

Written by Ryota Mochizuki