The Saitama Seibu Lions and the other 11 NPB teams took their players at the draft on Thursday night.
Here, we will summarize the information we can find on all draft picks by the Lions, Ikusei included.
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Round 1: C Taiga Kojima 小島大河
College: Meiji (Tokyo)
High School: Tokaidai Sagami (Kanagawa)
Date of Birth: October 27, 2003
Height: 178 cm (5' 10")
Weight: 83 kg (183 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
Kojima was a mainstay at Meiji and the Tokyo Big 6. His pop speed as a catcher is 1.8 seconds throwing to second base, but his bat is why the Lions took him in the first round. On paper, it's thought he can hit for both average and power to improve a weakened offense.
With the collegiate Samurai Japan team, he was primarily the designated hitter, which could be a role if the Lions want to play Yuto Koga at catcher.
At one point in his career, he was an infielder at 2B and SS, but has been a catcher since his sophomore season. He bills primarily as a contact hitter.
Kojima should be playing on Day 1 if his bat lives up to the hype. Projected as a constant .300 hitter who can also hit for pop, he has a similar skill to Tomoya Mori, who was thought to not have a position. With no doubt, he was considered the best college catcher in this class and the Lions won his rights without opposition.
Team quote: "He is a good hitter with impressive bat control."
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Round 2: P Hakua Iwaki 岩城颯空
College: Chuo (Tokyo)
High School: Toyama Shogyo (Toyama)
Date of Birth: September 17, 2003
Height: 181 cm (5' 11")
Weight: 95 kg (209 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Left/Left
Iwaki is a LHP who can throw as fast as 152 km/H (94 mph). He's primarily known for his fastball, slider and cutter. Was mostly a reliever in college, he worked on becoming a starter in his senior year. Iwaki's biggest strength is his control, having few walks.
For 2026, he could enter the Lions bullpen, though it is fierce competition.
Team Quote: "He is an attractive pitcher with a strong fastball to induce strikeouts. He'll be effective as both a starter and relieved."
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Round 3: OF Shun Akiyama 秋山俊
College: Chukyo (Aichi)
High School: Sendai Ikuei (Miyagi)
Date of Birth: April 20, 2003
Height: 180 cm (5' 11")
Weight: 88 kg (194 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
Akiyama could be a power hitter as he was the home run leader in the 2023 Spring season while an RBI leader for the 2024 Autumn season. In addition to outfield, he can also play 3B and has won a Best IX award while being an infielder. Akiyama was also the leading hitter for the college Samurai Japan team during the US collegiate tournament.
He can run 50 meters in 6.1 seconds while his time to first base is about 4.2 seconds. It's also notable he can hit opposite field to slide a ball the other way.
Defensively, he may be a hole in the outfield, but the Lions clearly drafted him for his bat. With how the Lions offense was, there is a chance he could crack the starting outfield or at worst be a pinch hitter.
Team Quote: "He can hit the ball with a wide range and has good bat control with power."
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Round 4: P Keita Horikoshi 堀越啓太
College: Tohoku Fukushi (Miyagi)
High School: Hanasaki Tokuharu (Saitama)
Date of Birth: July 15, 2003
Height: 185 cm (6' 1")
Weight: 96 kg (212 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
A native of Saitama, Horikoshi had the unofficially fastest velocity at 164 km/H (102 mph). His fastest official pitch was 157 km/h (98 mph). He also has a dropping slider and curveball, but his drawback was control issues.
As a true power pitcher, his workload will likely be as a relief pitcher, which he mostly did throughout college.
Team Quote: "A pitcher with a big scale who can hold batters with powerful pitches. He can be a foundation for the team in the future."
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Round 5: IF Sowa Yokota 横田蒼和
High School: Yamamura Gakuin (Saitama)
Date of Birth: October 24, 2007
Height: 180 cm (5' 11")
Weight: 87 kg (192 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
A two-way player who can pitch and play shortstop, the Lions too Yokota as an infielder. In measurements, he can run to first base in 4.4 seconds and had solid defense. His maximum pitching velocity is 140 km/h.
Down the road, he could develop into a slugger with decent power hitting, but also stealing bases. A possible heir to Sosuke Genda.
Team Quote: "He's a strong player who can hit the ball far. There is hope he can be a future infielder."
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Round 6: OF Yushin Kawada 川田悠慎
Industrial League Team: Shikoku Bank (Kochi)
College: Kyoto Sangyo (Kyoto)
High School: Kochi (Kochi)
Date of Birth: August 25, 2000
Height: 174 cm (5' 9")
Weight: 70 kg (154 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
Kawada is the oldest person in this draft class as he turns 26 next year. Very little is known of him as he couldn't make a name for himself at the high school or collegiate level, but thrived more with the Shakaijin leagues.
This is a longshot lottery ticket for a draft pick, much like Teruki Koga was last season. In addition to the outfield, Kawada can also play 2B and SS. Ideally he makes the ichi-gun as a replacement player or pinch runner.
Team Quote: "He is a fast utility player who can play a variety of positions."
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Ikusei Draft
Round 1: IF Yuito Arai 新井唯斗
High School: Hachioji Gakuin (Tokyo)
Date of Birth: November 11, 2007
Height: 183 cm (6' 0")
Weight: 80 kg (176 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
Arai is a Tokorozawa native who has athletic abilities. From a 50 meter dash time of 6.0 seconds and a long throw of 100 meters, he has the physical tools to be a baseball player.
Originally an outfielder, he converted to shortstop. A very raw player who will need time to develop.
Team quote: "He is a large infielder with a good balance of running, hitting and defense with room to grow, making him a highly anticipated player from Tokorozawa."
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Round 2: IF Takumu Imaoka 今岡拓夢
High School: Kamimura Gakuin (Kagoshima)
Date of Birth: September 5, 2007
Height: 180 cm (5' 11")
Weight: 81 kg (179 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
Imaoka played for Samurai Japan at the High school level as he can play shortstop. He has potential to be a power hitter down the road.
In measurements, he can reach first base in 4.4 seconds, run a 50 meter dash in 6.3 seconds and have a long throw of 90 meters. The Lions see a powerful swing that needs time to develop.
Team quote: "He is a large and athletic shortstop."
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Round 3: P Keishin Saito 斎藤佳紳
College: Tenri (Nara), dropped out
High School: Kinkidai Gakusen (Osaka)
Date of Birth: March 16, 2003
Height: 181 cm (5' 11")
Weight: 89 kg (196 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
Saito is a power pitcher who can throw up to 156 km/h (97 mph). A college dropout who went straight to the independent Shikoku island League, he was both a starter and relieved excelling with power.
He can also throw a slider, fork and curveball. Like the other ikusei, he's working for a promotion.
Team Quote: "He is a pitcher known for his aggressive and spirited power pitching."
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Round 4: P Sota Hamaoka 浜岡蒼太
High School: Kawawa (Kanagawa)
Date of Birth: October 10, 2007
Height: 176 cm (5' 9")
Weight: 87 kg (192 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Left/Left
Hamaoka was once scouted by MLB scouts saying he has potential. His maximum velocity is 147 km/h (91 mph). In spite of going to a prestigious high school for education, he has had a baseball goal in mind. Hamaoka comes from a athletic minded family with parents and a sister involved with sports.
When facing batters, his strength is using deception with timing. He can also throw a slider, changeup and cutter.
Team Quote: "Although he is a high school student, he has pitcher known for a decent fastball and curveball."
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Round 5: P Hiroto Hiraguchi 平口寛人
High School: Aikodai Meiden (Aichi)
Date of Birth: April 15, 2003
Height: 179 cm (5' 10")
Weight: 82 kg (181 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Left/Left
A left-handed pitcher who lacks velocity as his max speed is 140 km/h (87 mph). He makes up for his weakness with control and breaking balls from a cutter to a slider. In college, he was both a reliever and starter.
Team Quote: "He is a left handed pitcher with good control which allows him to throw to both sides."
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Round 6: P Yuma Masaki 正木悠馬
High School: Redmond (Washington State, USA)
Date of Birth: November 19, 2002
Height: 179 cm (5' 10")
Weight: 83 kg (183 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
His top velocity is 153 km/h (95 mph) where he drew attention in the Division III tier of college baseball. He can throw a fastball, forkball, slider and curveball.
Masaki's slider can draw comparisons to Tatsuya Imai and Kaima Taira. Aside from playing in a lower league, control was an issue on the scouting reports.
Masaki remains a classic underdog story. He spent a portion of his childhood in the USA, including high school. What makes this really interesting trivially, is he lived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska due to his father working as a fisherman.
Team Quote: "He is a highly promising pitcher with a style uses gravity of his entire body."
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Round 7: OF Ginto Ando 安藤銀杜
College: Josai (Chiba)
High School: Kyoei (Aichi)
Date of Birth: February 4, 2003
Height: 198 cm (6' 6")
Weight: 110 kg (243 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
Ando has the size and frame for an athlete where he was a pitcher who could hit 152 km/h. However, his control is why teams held back and the Lions see him as a position player.
He remains a longshot, much like all the other ikusei taken.
Team Quote: "He has outstanding physical abilities and is a promising player who has the potential to become a central figure on the team in the future."
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Summary
The Lions took an approach which netted players who can help immediately with a bunch of lottery tickets on the backside. Ideally the first four draft picks could make their debut in 2026 while the others develop.
They're hoping the offense can have a spark with Kojima and Akiyama in the fold, but also had a conservative pitcher in Iwaki taken. There is upside for Horikoshi if his control can be fixed.
We will review Lions draft classes of the past throughout this offseason.
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