The 2011 NPB Draft had a hyped up college pitcher named Takahiro Fujioka and everyone wondered where he would go. What did the Lions do with this class? Here's what we can say with grading them:
First round: P Ken Togame (JR East, Tokyo)
The Lions went outside the box and took what was viewed as a fall-back first round pick in Togame. Some thought he could be a sleeper among the field and he could help the Lions rotation immediately as a shakaijin.
Since being with the ichi-gun, Togame has been inconsistent where he has a good season in an odd numbered year, while regressing in an even numbered year. In 2017. he showed he belonged in the rotation going 8-7 with a 3.40 ERA and recording 116.1 innings pitched. Togame started 2017 in ni-gun and was initially called up as a sixth starter.
Togame hasn't had two consistent years, but when he's on, he's shown to be a front end starter as he can be a decent No. 3 and borderline No. 2. Grade: B-
Hindsight: The Marines ended up with Fujioka and he hasn't been an ace. Shota Takeda was taken by the Softbank Hawks unopposed as was Yusuke Nomura by the Hiroshima Carp. SS Ryoichi Adachi is a solid fielder for Orix and was a fall back first round pick. Tomoyuki Sugano was about to be taken by the Giants, but the Fighters ended up winning his rights in a tossup. Like Chono before him, Sugano refused to sign with the Fighters.
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Second round: P Hirotaka Koishi (NTT East, Tokyo)
The Lions went with another shakaijin who had a unique release among left handed pitchers. Koishi has failed to make an impact at the ichi-gun level and is mostly a situational reliever to get a ground ball. He would also eat up low leverage innings in 2016 when the team was trailing. In his best season of 2016, he had a 3.74 ERA in 74.2 innings of work. Grade: D
Hindsight: Go Matsumoto was taken by the Fighters. Ryosuke Kikuchi was drafted by the Carp in this round (but likely before the Lions were there).
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Third round: OF Hitoto Komazuki (Tonan HS, Kyoto)
Komazuki has yet to play an ichi-gun game for the Lions and has since been converted to being a farm catcher after the 2016 season. He became part of the Melbourne Aces in that winter to get work at catcher in practice. At this point, he is just depth at a position where the Lions are already settled at. Grade: D-
Hindsight: IF Daichi Suzuki was taken by the Marines in this round.P Takaya Toda was drafted by the Carp. P Shinji Tajima was drafted by the Dragons and has been a back end reliever for them.
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Fourth round: IF Kyohei Nagae (Kaisei HS, Nagasaki)
Nagae has been a solid defensive replacement for the late innings. An argument can be made that he's the best defensive infielder the Lions have and they can plant him at 3B or SS without trouble. Nagae lacks a bat as he usually hits below .200, but he has his role on the team for his defense. Interestingly enough, his playing time has been reduced to 25 ichi-gun games in 2017 under Hatsuhiko Tsuji. Grade: B
Hindsight: OF Takero Okajima was drafted by the Eagles in this round. P Naoya Masuda was drafted by the Marines. OF Masayuki Kuwahara was taken by the Baystars. C/OF Kensuke Kondo was drafted by the Fighters.
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Fifth round: OF Shotaro Tashiro (Hachinohe University, Aomori)
Tashiro only saw snippets of time as filler at the ichi-gun when a pitcher would be deactivated due to an extended break ahead. He served as an extra pinch runner and defensive replacement with solid range. Tsuji liked his defense and made Tashiro an opening day starter in 2017, but his lack of bat benched him quickly after a few weeks and he was prone to base running blunders. The Lions cut him after the 2017 NPB Draft, well after the initial senryokugai list came. He was recently signed by the Yakult Swallows. Grade: F+
Hindsight: OF Tomo Otosaka was drafted by the Baystars. P Shinya Kayama was drafted by the Hawks and serves as a lefty specialist out of their bullpen.
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Ikusei: C Komei Fujisawa (Matsumoto University, Nagano)
Fujisawa was the first ikusei draft pick in franchise history in a program that only started in 2005. The Lions promoted Fujisawa to the 70-man roster in the middle of the 2013 season and has been a farm catcher ever since. He has not played a single ichi-gun game, but he splits time for ni-gun and could serve as a guy to develop the young pitchers in the farm. Fujisawa also spent two offseasons in Melbourne with the Aces. Any ikusei earning promotion cannot be a failed grade by default. Grade: C+
Hindsight: None
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Overall:
This class is mediocre as a whole. While Togame hasn't been bad, he also isn't consistently good. The Lions overall found a starting pitcher, defensive replacement, pinch runner, farm catcher and a reliever who can do mop up duties. There are contributions, but not enough impact for the long run. If Komazuki does anything at the ichi-gun level, this grade would be a plus, but it's doubtful given the Lions situation at catcher. Grade: C
Hindsight: This draft was a win for the Carp, Baystars, Fighters and Hawks in particular where the Lions are right in the middle. The Carp found a starting pitcher and second baseman while the Hawks have a front end starter and relief help.
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Previous years:
2008
2009
2010
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
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