Hey everyone, welcome to my 19th year of translating the NPB draft. (Yes, I literally have been doing this since before some of the draftees were born.) If you're gonna use my translations elsewhere, can you at least link to me or let me know you're doing it?
Anyway, I've also been using the draft posts for a personal yearly update for anyone who used to read the blog: as I mentioned last year I was laid off from my job at Google in the first round of their huge layoff trend, and took off 2023 to decompress and spent most of it watching baseball in Japan, and since I didn't find a job in the US over the winter, went back to Japan this spring... and this year in addition to watching baseball all summer, I also job-hunted a bit and got a software engineering job in Tokyo. So, I'm actually in the US right now since I came back here for a week or two to get my work visa (you have to do it outside Japan) and I'm flying back in the morning and starting my new job next week. Therefore, might be a 12-hour delay on filling in any draft info that I don't have by the end of the evening. We'll see!
Happy to answer (reasonable) questions about the process for getting the highly skilled professional engineering visa in Japan, anyway, having just gone through it, if anyone reading this is in software/research and thinking about it.
As in recent years, I expect to mostly just translate as it comes in over the usual news sources; this year I didn't even buy any draft magazines. Nikkan Sports is my usual go-to, and I use draft-repo for high-school kids and the individual websites for colleges/companies for the others, when more obscure people get drafted and the major news outlets don't have their stats ready.
Name Pos HS/Univ/Company T/B DOB Ht/Wt -------------------- --- --------------- --- ---------- ------- Lionsx Rui Muneyama IF Meiji Univ R/L 02/27/2003 175/78 x Yusei Ishizuka IF Hanasaki Tokuharu HS R/R 04/06/2006 181/821 Hiroto Saitoh IF Kanazawa HS R/R 01/27/2007 181/76 2 Seiya Watanabe OF Osaka Shogyo Univ R/R 08/31/2002 177/88 3 Shoma Karyu P Saiki Kakujo HS R/R 12/25/2006 186/74 4 Kuanchen Lin (?) OF Japan Econ Univ R/R 12/30/2002 195/105 5 Hibiki Shinohara P Fukui Kodai HS R/R 09/20/2006 178/76 6 Haruki Tatsuyama C Enagic Sports HS R/R 05/13/2006 175/78 7 Teruki Koga IF Chikumagawa Club R/L 08/25/2000 181/88 (Lin is Taiwanese but has been in Japan for a while) i1 Yamato Fuji P Omiya Higashi HS L/L 08/26/2006 186/80 i2 Taiyo Satoh IF Kanagawa Univ R/L 05/19/2002 176/78 i3 Ramal Rathnayake (?) OF Osaka Toin HS R/R 04/08/2006 180/90 i4 So Satoh P Seisa Dohto Univ L/L 02/09/2003 177/79 i5 Haruto Sawada OF Kyoto Kokusai HS R/S 07/30/2006 170/68 i6 Haruma Fukuo IF Gakuho Ishikawa HS R/L 04/06/2006 181/77 i7 Okemu Umebinyuo (??) OF Asahikawa Shiho HS R/R 04/10/2006 185/77 (Gonna admit that I'm transliterating with knowledge of existing Sri Lankan names, but nowhere have I seen an official English transliteration of his name yet.) (And definitely haven't found a definitive Nigerian last name source.) Dragons 1 Yumeto Kanemaru P Kansai Univ L/L 02/01/2003 177/77 2 Seiya Yoshida P Seino Transportation L/L 05/23/2002 175/80 3 Shunta Mori IF Toko Gakuen HS R/L 12/25/2006 187/91 4 Yuta Ishii C Nihon Seimei R/R 08/18/2000 178/84 5 Kosuke Takahashi P Hokusho HS L/L 12/31/2006 177/82 6 Keito Arima P St Catherine HS (Ehime) R/R 09/20/2006 190/78 i1 Naiki Nakamura IF Nagasaki Shogyo HS R/R 08/16/2006 183/73 i2 Kenya Inoue P Kagoshima Jitsugyo HS R/R 12/20/2006 178/80 Buffaloesx Misho Nishikawa OF Aoyama Gakuin Univ R/R 03/25/2003 182/811 Yusuke Mugitani OF Fuji Univ R/L 07/27/2002 180/81 2 Naruki Teranishi P Nittai Univ R/R 10/18/2002 186/85 3 Reo Yamaguchi P Sendai Ikuei HS R/R 05/14/2006 193/97 4 Ryoma Yamanaka OF Mitsubishi Juko East R/L 12/14/2000 178/82 5 Reiji Higashiyama P ENEOS R/R 05/05/2000 180/83 6 Raiku Katayama P NTT East R/L 10/07/2002 177/82 i1 Tomoki Imasaka IF Osaka Gakuin Univ R/L 10/19/2006 178/82 i2 Musashi Shimizu IF Tochigi Golden Braves R/R 04/14/2003 173/76 i3 Taiga Uehara P Hanasaki Tokuharu HS R/R 03/13/2007 178/84 i4 Seiichi Teramoto OF Hiroshima Econ Univ R/L 02/05/2003 170/86 i5 Kosuke Tajima C Shinano Grandserows R/R 04/09/2000 173/78 i6 Kento Inui P Kasumigaura HS R/R 06/28/2006 188/88 Swallows 1 Yuto Nakamura P Aichi Tech (Aikodai) R/L 02/08/2003 176/85 2 Nikita Moiseyev OF Toyokawa HS L/L 11/29/2006 182/87 3 Kota Shoji P Sega Sammy L/L 05/22/2000 172/88 4 Haruto Tanaka IF Kendai Takasaki HS R/L 06/25/2006 183/85 5 Taijiro Yano C Ehime Mandarin Pirates R/R 05/22/2002 179/80 i1 Tatsunori Negishi IF North Carolina A&T Univ L/L 09/20/2000 180/95 i2 Yu Hirosawa P Ehime Mandarin Pirates R/R 04/27/2001 193/100 i3 Shunsuke Shimokawa P Niigata Albirex R/R 03/22/2000 176/88 i4 Ryunosuke Matsumoto C Sakai Shrikes R/R 03/01/2005 176/82 Eagles 1 Rui Muneyama IF Meiji Univ R/L 02/27/2003 175/78 2 Kazuto Tokuyama P Intl. Pacific Univ L/L 04/11/2002 177/87 3 Haruto Nakagomi P Tokushima Indigo Socks R/R 01/23/2002 175/83 4 Masahiro Ehara P Nippon Stainless Steel R/R 08/03/2000 186/93 5 Tsubasa Yoshinoh OF Waseda Univ R/L 08/16/2002 180/87 6 Po-Hsiang Yang IF Ibaraki Astro Planets R/L 01/23/2005 173/64 i1 Yuya Kishimoto IF Nara Univ HS R/R 01/30/2007 180/72 Carpx Rui Muneyama IF Meiji Univ R/L 02/27/2003 175/781 Tai Sasaki IF Aoyama Gakuin Univ R/R 12/24/2002 178/82 2 Ryunosuke Satoh P Fuji Univ L/L 11/01/2002 179/86 3 Shun Okamoto P Konan Univ R/L 06/12/2002 186/80 4 Yuto Watanabe C Fuji Univ R/R 07/07/2002 181/98 5 Harun Kikuchi P Chiba Gakugei HS R/R 01/21/2007 200/110 i1 Tsubasa Kobune P Chitoku HS R/R 06/20/2006 198/110 i2 Kaito Takeshita P Tsuruga Kehi HS L/L 11/06/2006 180/76 i3 Toshiki Yasutake C Shizuoka Univ R/R 04/17/2001 178/85 Marines 1 Misho Nishikawa OF Aoyama Gakuin Univ R/R 03/25/2003 182/88 2 Ryusei Miyazaki IF Yamaha R/L 12/09/2000 173/90 3 Rikima Ichijoh P Toyo Univ R/L 02/10/2003 190/90 4 Haru Sakai P Kanto Daiichi HS R/R 05/08/2006 178/78 5 Koshiro Hiroike P Tokaidai Kyushu Campus R/R 09/16/2002 185/85 6 Yu Tatematsu IF Nihon Seimei R/L 02/05/1999 177/82 i1 Tsuyoshi Tanimura IF Wakayama Higashi HS R/L 09/15/2006 177/85 i2 Yuta Ibaragi P Teikyo Nagaoka HS R/R 05/09/2006 187/93 i3 Kosuke Nagashima P Fuji Univ R/R 07/05/2002 187/92 Baystarsx Yumeto Kanemaru P Kansai Univ L/L 02/01/2003 177/771 Yu Takeda P Mitsubishi Juko West R/R 07/05/1999 184/96 2 Kentaro Shinogi P Hosei Univ R/L 05/07/2002 177/75 3 Hibiki Katoh IF Tokushima Indigo Socks R/R 06/15/2002 180/85 4 Naoki Wakamatsu P Kochi Fighting Dogs R/R 05/10/2000 183/82 5 Manato Tanai IF Okayama Sanyo HS R/R 03/06/2007 177/79 6 Kasuga Sakaguchi P Kokugakuin Univ R/R 09/12/2002 178/80 i1 Daiki Kobari OF Nichidai Tsurugaoka HS L/L 10/10/2006 191/94 i2 Haru Yoshioka P Anan Hikari HS R/R 08/28/2006 182/88 i3 Koki Kanabuchi P Hachinohe Kodai #1 HS L/L 10/01/2006 183/87 Fightersx Rui Muneyama IF Meiji Univ R/L 02/27/2003 175/781 Reo Shibata P Fukuoka Ohhori HS R/L 04/18/2006 187/87 2 Ryusei Fujita P Tokaidai Sagami HS L/L 11/17/2006 198/96 3 Tamon Asari P Meiji Univ R/R 09/06/2002 186/88 4 Daiki Shimizu P Maebashi Shogyo HS R/R 07/17/2006 192/95 5 Shu Yamagata IF Waseda Univ R/R 05/01/2002 176/80 6 Kotaro Yamashiro P Hosei Univ R/R 09/03/2002 183/84 i1 Sorato Kawakatsu P Seiko Gakuen HS R/R 02/11/2007 180/88 i2 Junki Shibuya P Obihiro Agricultural HS L/L 11/25/2006 182/87 Tigersx Yumeto Kanemaru P Kansai Univ L/L 02/01/2003 177/771 Takato Ihara P NTT West L/L 08/07/2000 170/77 2 Yuki Hasamaru P Hotoku Gakuen HS R/R 06/02/2006 187/77 3 Rito Kinoshita P KMG Holdings R/R 01/27/2001 183/90 4 Hayato Machida C Musashi Heat Bears R/R 04/03/2003 186/88 5 Taiyo Sano IF Toyama GRN Thunderbirds R/R 02/14/2002 178/81 i1 Taisei Kudoh P Tokushima Indigo Socks R/L 11/19/2001 177/82 i2 Rinshiro Shimamura C Kochi Fighting Dogs R/L 07/13/2003 177/90 i3 Daiki Hayakawa P Kufu Hayate R/R 12/18/1999 185/95 i4 Toshiaki Kawasaki IF Ishikawa Million Stars R/L 05/02/2001 174/82 Hawksx Rui Muneyama IF Meiji Univ R/L 02/27/2003 175/78 x Reo Shibata P Fukuoka Ohhori HS R/L 04/18/2006 186/851 Taito Murakami P Kobe Koryo HS R/R 02/20/2007 180/73 2 Yudai Shoji IF Kanagawa Univ R/L 10/02/2002 178/73 3 Shun Antoku P Fuji Univ R/R 05/18/2002 177/82 4 Shinjiro Uno IF Waseda Jitsugyo HS R/R 07/05/2006 176/78 5 Soma Ishimi IF Aikodai Meiden HS R/L 06/10/2006 176/75 6 Shunsuke Iwasaki P Toyo Univ R/R 03/11/2003 178/78 i1 Ryo Furukawa P Nihon Gakuen HS R/R 05/06/2006 i2 Zairen Sobukawa IF Hamamatsu Shogyo HS R/R 05/29/2006 i3 So Ohtomo C Ibaraki Astro Planets R/R 07/23/1999 i4 Yuki Hirose IF Matsudo Shiritsu HS R/R 02/02/2007 i5 Shinichiro Kawano P Miyazaki Gakuen HS L/L 08/20/2006 i6 Tohya Kawaguchi P Tokushima Indigo Socks R/R 10/26/1999 i7 Kenshiro Tsukayama P Kobe Kokusaidai HS R/R 07/24/2006 i8 Yuta Aihara P Sendai Univ R/R 06/16/2002 i9 Koichiro Okada P Osaka Shogyo Univ R/R 06/04/2002 i10 Koha Gyofu OF Tohoku Fukushi Univ R/R 07/16/2002 i11 Hayato Kinoshita OF Chiba Keizaidai HS R/L 08/16/2006 i12 Taiga Kumagai P Toryo HS L/L 10/17/2006 i13 Dan Shioji P Ishikawa Monzen HS R/R 05/18/2006 Giantsx Yumeto Kanemaru P Kansai Univ L/L 02/01/2003 177/771 Yusei Ishizuka IF Hanasaki Tokuharu HS R/R 04/06/2006 181/82 2 Shunsuke Urata IF Kyushu Sangyo Univ R/L 08/30/2002 170/70 3 Yu Aramaki IF Jobu Univ R/L 12/23/2002 184/92 4 Juza Ishida P Hokusei HS R/R 07/21/2006 191/86 5 Shunsuke Miyahara P Tokai Univ Shizuoka L/L 09/12/2002 175/82 i1 Tatsuya Sakamoto C Fuji Univ R/R 08/31/2002 173/76 i2 Shotaro Horie P Bunsei Art Univ HS R/R 10/08/2006 187/88 i3 Keishin Suzuki P Yokohama Sogakukan HS R/L 07/09/2006 183/85 i4 Shido Fukita P Hirosaki Seiai HS R/R 02/21/2007 188/84 i5 Ayumu Nishikawa P Yamamura Gakuen HS L/L 11/15/2006 169/76 i6 Raia Takeshita IF Meitoku Gijuku HS R/R 11/12/2006 183/98
I think this year I'm not going to bother with the other stuff -- it doesn't matter after all the dust settles.
