Manager Akihiro Yano entered the 2019 NPB Draft with promises of surprises as well as a good feeling that he would pull the winning ballot.
Before the draft, the Tigers cut one catcher, two infielders and two pitchers. They also lost two pitchers to retirement.
In case you’re interested, here’s a look at the post-draft reports from 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015.
After first trying to get Yasunobu Okugawa (Seiryo High School star pitcher), the Tigers and six other teams (who lost their own lotteries) went for their plan B guys. We and only we selected…
Round 1 – Junya Nishi (西 純矢)
From: Hiroshima Prefecture
Date of Birth: September 13, 2001
Drafted Out of: Soshi Gakuen High School (Okayama)
Position: Pitcher
Height: 184 cm (6’0″)
Weight: 88 kg (194 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
About Nishi: Flamethrowing righty maxes out at 154 km/h (96 mph) on his fastball. Though he’s still just a high schooler, he has good bite on his offspeed pitches (slider, curve, fork, changeup) and could make an immediate impact on the team. In his debut at Koshien as a second-year high schooler, he struck out sixteen. He still has room to grow, though, and may ultimately be an elite pitcher in NPB.
Round 2 – Kota Inoue (井上 広大)
From: Osaka Prefecture
Date of Birth: August 12, 2001
Drafted Out of: Riseisha High School (Osaka)
Position: Outfield
Height: 187 cm (6’2″)
Weight: 97 kg (213 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
About Inoue: Power hitter who steps up his game when chances arise. Has the potential to be a star in this league, as he has already shown the ability to play under the pressures of Koshien, when his team won the 2019 Summer Tournament. (He hit a home run off the pitcher we had hoped to land in round 1!) He can throw 120 meters (393 feet) and runs the 50-meter dash in 6.3 seconds. Hit 49 home runs as a high schooler, including three in the 2019 Summer Koshien Tournament.
Round 3 – Masaki Oyokawa (及川 雅貴)
From: Chiba Prefecture
Date of Birth: April 18, 2001
Drafted Out of: Yokohama High School (Yokohama)
Position: Pitcher
Height: 183 cm (6’0″)
Weight: 74 kg (163 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Left/Left
About Oyokawa: This lefty gets good movement on his 153 km/h (95 mph) fastball. He still needs to fill out and has room to improve, but could ultimately be a truly precious powerhouse lefty. Also throws a slider, curve and changeup.
Round 4 – Jo Endoh (遠藤 成)
From: Akita Prefecture
Date of Birth: September 19, 2001
Drafted Out of: Tokai Dai Sagami High School (Kanagawa)
Position: Infielder
Height: 178 cm (5’10”)
Weight: 84 kg (185 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Left
About Endoh: Has good pop in his bat, a strong arm, solid defense and great speed on the basepaths. All this in a young shortstop who also threw around 140+ km/h as a pitcher. He has great baseball sense and has good raw tools. Hit 45 home runs during his high school career.
Round 5 – Kento Fujita (藤田 健斗)
From: Shiga Prefecture
Date of Birth: October 18, 2001
Drafted Out of: Chukyo Gakuin High School (Aichi)
Position: Catcher
Height: 173 cm (5’8″)
Weight: 73 kg (160 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
About Fujita: Has a good arm, limited power but definitely an offensive-minded catcher. Batted fourth and was captain of his team in high school, and showed an ability to play on the big stage when his team was in the Koshien tournament. As he works on his skills and gains experience, hopefully he will be able to lead the team for years to come. His best pop time is 1.79 seconds.
Round 6 – Ippei Ogawa (小川 一平)
From: Kanagawa Prefecture
Date of Birth: June 3, 1997
Drafted Out of: Tokai University Kyushu Campus (Kumamoto)
High School: Yokosuka Industrial High School (Kanagawa)
Position: Pitcher
Height: 182 cm (6’0″)
Weight: 80 kg (176 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
About Ogawa: Fastball maxes out at 149 km/h (93 mph). Has a rather long take-back and flexible joints. His changeup falls nicely and is his go-to pitch, despite having a decent arsenal of other offspeed stuff. Also throws a slider, cutter and curve. Did not throw much in university due to various circumstances (earthquake in Kumamoto, lower back injury, team facing league suspension, etc.).
Development Draft Round 1 – Dan Onodera (小野寺 暖)
From: Kyoto Prefecture
Date of Birth: March 17, 1998
Drafted Out of: Osaka Commercial University (Osaka)
High School: Kyoto Shoei High (Kyoto)
Position: Outfield
Height: 183 cm (6’0″)
Weight: 82 kg (181 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
About Onodera: Hard-hitting outfielder with strong wrists. Consistently hit clean-up in university, and won a batting title and 2 MVP awards during his university years.
Development Draft Round 2 – Kota Okuyama (奥山 皓太)
From: Yamanashi Prefecture
Date of Birth: September 3, 1997
Drafted Out of: Shizuoka University (Shizuoka)
High School: Kofu Nishi High (Yamanashi)
Position: Outfield
Height: 186 cm (6’1″)
Weight: 93 kg (205 lbs)
Throws/Bats: Right/Right
About Okuyama: A highly athletic outfielder with great natural ability. Was a pitcher in high school and still looks a little rough around the edges in the outfield, but has a strong swing and great throwing ability from the outfield. Could really explode if things go right.
More thoughts on the draft will come at a later date, likely on Episode 109 of the podcast. For now, we welcome these guys to the fold and look forward to seeing them all back at Koshien (as pros!) in the near future.