The Saitama Seibu Lions camp will begin on February 1. The most open position in all areas will belong to the pitchers. Here's a look at each pitcher with the expectations or possibilities ahead:
A-camp
Tatsuya Imai: The 2016 Koshien champion and first round draft pick got a full workload with 135.1 IP in 2019. Inconsistent, the Lions are hoping he can make the next step to being a possible ace. He's shown flashes at times and even threw a shutout last year.
Kona Takahashi: The Lions 2014 first round pick had the most innings pitched since 2016, but it's unlikely he'll live up to the hype as an ace. Having a 10-win season in 2019, an injury ended his season earlier than usual. Should be a rotation regular.
Tatsushi Masuda: This becomes a critical year for Masuda with 2020 as a contract year. He turned down the Lions multi-year offer to make himself a domestic free agent after this season. Masuda should be the closer on opening day, though he also had a rough 2018.
Daisuke Matsuzaka: The longtime legend and veteran returns home for one final run. This should be a similar season to when Kimiyasu Kudo ended his playing career in 2010. Could be a spot starter or even pinch hitter if he's in good condition.
Katsunori Hirai: Hirai was the most overworked pitcher setting a Pacific League record in relief innings and games appeared. He wore down as the season ended, but should be the setup man entering 2020. An argument can be made he was the glue and pitching MVP of 2019.
Tetsu Miyagawa: The first round pick of 2019 already has expectations to be at the ichi-gun immediately given he's a shakaijin. Miyagawa has experience in the bullpen and as a starter, so the Lions can use that flexibility to their advantage. Personally think he'll begin 2020 in relief given the thin depth.
Wataru Matsumoto: Matsumoto had a decent rookie year given all things considered. The 2020 season will be a year of wanting progress in making the next step. He still has plenty of upside and potential to be an ace.
Hiromasa Saito: The 2017 first round draft pick has been a disappointment, only appearing as a spot starter or eating a few relief innings. If nothing happens in 2020, he'll have the trajectory of being a bust. It would be best if he can earn his way into the bullpen.
Ryuya Ogawa: A situational left-handed pitcher, Ogawa was effective with inherited runners, though it made his ERA look deceiving. Should see plenty of time in the bullpen.
Ryosuke Moriwaki: Moriwaki earned some ichi-gun games in the first half of 2019, but his control faded and is most remembered for hitting batters, starting a fight with Orix as a result. He'll compete for a spot in the bullpen.
Shota Hamaya: Hamaya is one of three rookies in A-camp and it appears the ichi-gun staff wants to get a closer look at the Lions second-round draft pick. If everything goes right, his left-handed pitching could be a part of the bullpen.
Zach Neal: Neal returns and signed a two-year contract before he left Japan last fall. He carried the rotation in the second half en route to the Lions winning their second straight Pacific League pennant. While it's unlikely he has an undefeated season like his stretch from June, he will be the team's opening day starter.
Kaito Awatsu: Awatsu earned a mop up duty ichi-gun appearance during interleague play last year as a rookie. Modeling his pitching style after Tetsuya Shiozaki, he hopes to earn a bullpen role somewhere.
Sho Ito: Ito saw almost no ichi-gun time in 2019 after a decent 2018. He could be a spot starter or reliever depending on what the team wants.
Kaito Yoza: Yoza is the biggest mystery of the Lions pitchers. A submariner drafted in 2017, an injury has sidelined majority of his NPB career and he spent 2019 under an ikusei contract. Yoza played his first game in ni-gun late last year on the road to recovery. With this invite, he could be part of the bullpen.
Reed Garrett: Garrett was the final import signing by the Lions in the offseason and he'll have to compete for a bullpen role. Not only will he have to worry about relievers, but also Sean Nolin or Cory Spangenberg because of the foreigner rule. He was once a Rule 5 draft pick of the Detroit Tigers before he returned to the Texas Rangers later in the season.
Keisuke Honda: Honda had a decent 2019 as a back end starter. He'll need to do more if he wants to keep his spot in the rotation.
Sean Nolin: Nolin bounced around multiple minor league organizations and indy ball in the last two years coming off Tommy John surgery and hasn't appeared in MLB since 2015. He could be a starter or reliever depending on what the team wants, but it's likely they'll have him start give he's a lefty.
Tsubasa Kokuba: Kokuba ended 2019 at the ichi-gun and got a share of meaningful innings in middle relief. It's possible he could use that momentum towards 2020 in the bullpen.
Makoto Aiuchi: Aiuchi nearly had his first career win if it weren't for the relief pitching giving up some runs. He enters 2020 on the outside seeking a spot starter role. Could be in danger of being cut after the year if he can't crack the ichi-gun.
Kaima Taira: Taira had a decent second-half as a reliever for the Lions when Hirai was feeling fatigue. He's one of the hardest throwers on the team and hopes to expand his role at the ichi-gun level in the bullpen. In the long term, he could be a closer after Masuda leaves.
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B-camp
Ken Togame: Togame didn't walk in free agency and took the Lions offer to stay around for three more years through the 2022 season. Coming off a mediocre 2019, he bucked his trend of having a good year followed by a bad year and vice versa. He should be part of the opening day rotation.
Yutaro Watanabe: A high school draft pick in 2018, Watanabe still has time to grow, but would love to earn a snippet at the ichi-gun with good pitching.
Shogo Noda: Noda saw his workload decrease in 2019 for what was a down year. He starts 2020 on the outside, but should be a reliever seeing ichi-gun time as depth as the Lions still need left-handed bullpen pitchers.
Tetsuya Utsumi: Utsumi is one of the most accomplished Lions pitchers based on resume, but he failed to play an ichi-gun game in 2019 due to injuries and setbacks. He'll be starting 2020 rehabbing and hopes to be a starter when healthy. So far, this compensatory selection hasn't worked out.
Daiki Enokida: Enokida couldn't repeat his 2018 success last year, but he could be a useful spot starter in a pinch. He's looking to be a regular in the Lions rotation.
Yasuo Sano: Sano took a lot of innings last year when the Lions were trailing or in mop up duty. He could a spot starter if necessary.
Ichiro Tamura: Tamura has seen minimal ichi-gun time in the last two years while mostly in mop up duty. This could be a make or break season for him as a repeat year may result in being cut (senryokugai) after it.
Hiroki Inoue: The Lions sixth-round draft pick will spend 2020 developing for the long term. Drafted out of high school, Inoue has the raw tools to be a starting pitcher, but it will take time.
Shunta Nakatsuka: Nakatsuka has been a disappointment, playing a combined three ichi-gun games over the last three years with zero in 2019. A hard thrower, Nakatsuka lacks control to take his game to the next level. He's in danger of being cut after the season if things don't improve.
Towa Uema: Uema was the Lions 7th round draft pick out of Indy ball, only one year removed from high school. The Lions like his fastball and feel he can be an intriguing long term project.
Koki Fujita: Fujita has been on the outside ever since he joined the Lions in 2015. Sidelined by an injury to begin his career, he has stayed in ni-gun the entire time. Time could be running out if he doesn't make an impact in 2020.
Koki Matsuoka: Like the other rookies in the class, Matsuoka has hope for the future being a 19-year old out of Indy ball. Earning a brief ichi-gun stint would be a victory.
Shota Takekuma: Once a bullpen regular, Takekuma has come off two bad seasons in a row where he only had use as a spot starter. If things don't get better, he's on pace for a seryokugai at the end of the year.
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Ikusei:
Toshihiro Idei: The Lions ikusei draft pick from last fall will hope to make an impression on the staff, eventually wanting to earn a 70-man roster spot.
Tomomi Takahashi: Takahashi was once an all-star and former closer, but is currently in his second year under an ikusei contract looking to regain his form. He hasn't pitched well since parts of 2015.
Jiyu Okubo: The tall and lanky pitcher saw only two ni-gun games from 2019 and needs more time to develop. The 2020 season should be a similar year for his growth.
Aoi Tono: Tono appeared in eight ni-gun games for 2019. Unlike Okubo, he's out of college and has less time on his side to do something.
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Outside:
Shinsaburo Tawata: The 2019 Opening Day starter isn't in proper condition. With his inability to throw and injury taking a toll, the Lions did not reach a contractual agreement during the normal negotiations period. He's currently under club control, but now in a waiting game for his health to return to normal.
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Overall:
The Lions are far from loaded when it comes to pitchers, but there is potential for some of these guys to get better. They drafted plenty of options in recent years. It will be a matter of who can rise up and help fill the voids and lack of an ace that this team hasn't truly had since Yusei Kikuchi.
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Other positions:
Infielder
Catcher
Outfielder
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