Lions announce Kojima as 2025 draft nomination

 

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With two days remaining before the 2025 NPB Draft, the Saitama Seibu Lions revealed their card.

On Tuesday, it was announced by General Manager Koji Hiroike that the Lions nomination will be C Taiga Kojima out of Meiji University. 

Kojima, a Kanagawa prefecture native, is thought to be one of the best hitting players in this draft.  A left handed bat who could play infield, primarily played catcher in his most recent seasons within the Tokyo Big 6.  

Hiroike admitted the team plans to take him as a catcher, even though the Lions already have Yuto Koga as a starting catcher. There has been a lack of depth behind Koga at this position.  

Ginjiro Sumitani, 38, came back as a veteran and doesn't have many years left in him.  Others have not performed up to the task with Sena Tsuge, Takeru Furuichi and Shoya Makino only being part time. Otherwise, Haruki Tatsuyama was a sixth round draft pick out of high school last year. 

For the longest time, the Lions were linked to Masahiro Tateishi, who is one of the consensus best players in this class.  

As reported by Kaneko-san, Kojima will be the first college catcher taken in the first round since Shota Ono by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2008. The Lions previously took Tomoya Mori out of high school in 2013.   

Kaneko-san also cited the Lions have a need for a left handed bat with Manaya Nishikawa, Natsuo Takizawa and Takayoshi Yamamura leading the way. 

Draft projections indicate most teams are taking someone else, but no one else has announced their pick in a public manner except the Hiroshima Carp with Tateishi.  

It's likely this pick could be contested by one or two other teams at most. Here's the current X poll of Lions. 

The Draft will take place on October 23 in the evening. 

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