The Saitama Seibu Lions announced LHP Chihiro Sumida will be their first round draft pick nomination for the 2021 NPB Draft. They became the first team to announce their draft pick.
Sumida is a top pitching prospect out of Nishi-Nippon Kogyo University in Fukuoka. His draft rights will likely be contested.
Lions General Manager Hisanobu "Nabe-Q" Watanabe had full confidence in this pick, saying it was a unanimous decision by their staff.
"Sumida has high potential and can play the game well," said Nabe-Q. "He has firm control."
The Lions rotation has lacked left-handed pitchers with a veteran in Tetsuya Utsumi, who is 39 years old, while Shota Hamaya is only in his second year. If they were to win Sumida's draft rights, he could be inserted into the starting rotation right away.
Recently, the Lions staff saw Sumida's last game in Izuka, Fukuoka and he confirmed why they liked him. This is the first time the Lions have made their draft pick public since wanting Roki Sasaki in 2019. The last time they won a drawing for their initial first round nomination, it was in 2010 when Nabe-Q had the winning ticket for Tatsuya Oishi. Nabe-Q won a backup drawing for Tatsushi Masuda in 2012 while Hatsuhiko Tsuji won a fallback draw for Tetsu Miyagawa in 2019.
The Lions have some of the worst pitching ERA and run scoring offenses in the league. They feel Sumida is the best talent available.
"There is no left-handed pitcher in the starting rotation," said Nabe-Q. "I think that if he throws normally with his ability, he will be a force."
The NPB Draft will take place on Monday, October 11.
No comments:
Post a Comment