The Saitama Seibu Lions enter the draft as the worst NPB team and have a priority, but this is not a league that favors tanking.
With this in mind for the first round, the Lions would be the first to announce their nomination and if there's a contested pick, the team representative has to draw from the box first whether it's two teams or six teams wanting the same player.
Here we will go by each position and see how each position could be filled.
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Pitcher:
The Lions are stacked for now at starting pitcher, but there could always be needs for the long term and bullpen depth.
Tatsushi Masuda retired while others had issues filling in the relief roles. The 8th and 9th inning were fine, but it's uncertain if Albert Abreu stays in Japan again.
Kona Takahashi reaches domestic free agency after 2025, but if he wants to be in MLB, he needs to earn a posting or wait through 2027 for international free agency.
Kaima Taira and Tatsuya Imai could be seeking something else when they got free agency or even want MLB someday. Both have at least three years until they reach domestic free agency.
Yumeto Kanemaru (Kansai University) is the consensus top pitcher in this class while also thought of as the top player.
Some high school names include Yuki Kesamaru (Hotoku Gakuen) and Daiki Shimizu (Maebashi Shogyo).
Yuto Nakamura (Aichi Kogyo) and Kentaro Shinogi (Hosei) are thought to be some of the better first round alternative pick options after Kanemaru. The latter could be a good short term option while Kesamaru fits a long term plan.
Shakaijin Seiya Yoshida (Seino) could also be an immediate impact among left-handed pitchers.
Other names for this draft include Hibiki Takao (Koryo HS), Haruma Ikeda (Monbetsu HS), Yusei Yamaguchi (Hokkaido Kitami Hakuyo) and Ryo Negishi (BC League).
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Infielder
Sosuke Genda and Shuta Tonosaki have the middle of the infield locked down, but they're not young anymore. The corner positions need help, as there are several busts unable to fill the holes. For 1B, they'll likely look for an import player in 2025.
Rui Muneyama (Meiji) is considered the best position player available in this class. Very accomplished hitter, but may be more of a shortstop.
Some think Seiya Watanabe (Osaka Shogyo University) could also be plugged in at 3B who can also play OF. In the long-term, Yusei Ishizuka (Hanasaki Tokuharu HS) is a candidate and will be a first round pick.
Other names with potential later in the draft include Yu Aramaki (Jobu University) and Ryushin Tomihama (Teikyo HS).
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Catcher
Masatoshi Okada retired and a spot becomes available. However, it's not an urgent kind of need with Yuto Koga expected to be the starting catcher for years to come.
The aforementioned Tomihama can play catcher while Haruo Hakoyama (Kendai Takasaki HS) is also a candidate. It seems reasonable to take an ikusei flyer if someone is available.
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Outfield
Here we have the biggest elephant in the room. The Lions outfield has been a poor unit ever since Shogo Akiyama signed with the Cincinnati Reds.
The team is still holding out hope that Takuya Hiruma can become a regular, but he still hasn't proven much in two years.
Misho Nishikawa (Aoyama Gakuin University) is thought to be the best player to fill this need. He's an athletic fielder with a flawed bat who came into the scene in his junior season of college.
The aforementioned Seiya Watanabe can also play outfield. An intriguing fallback name is Moisev Nikita (Aichi Kogyo HS) who is a long term project.
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Outlook:
The Lions have been eyeing both Muneyama and Nishikawa the longest of all the top draft names available. They've been leaning with Nishikawa in recent months with OF being the larger need, but it's also likely playing the odds as Muneyama will draw several teams.
If they're feeling lucky, they'll go Muneyama, but all signs point to Nishikawa as the nomination.
Since we've been writing about the Lions, they've only hidden their nomination before the draft twice with the hopes of getting the player unopposed. Tatsuya Imai and Wataru Matsumoto didn't have an announcement in 2016 and 2018, respectively with Imai as the only partial shocker to us as fans.
Previously, they announced Shinsaburo Tawata, Daiki Tajima, Takahisa Hayakawa, Roki Sasaki, Chihiro Sumida, Takuya Hiruma and Natsuki Takeuchi in public before the draft occurred.
Historically, this means if they feel an obvious player is getting contested, they'll say it upfront. Nishikawa could have as many as three teams go for his rights, but it's more likely one other team will take a chance.
There is also an outside shot that no other team aims for Nishikawa.
Seiya Watanabe is thought to be the main fallback option, but it's possible someone goes for him in the first nomination round.
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