Softbank’s Naoki Sato hits the opening run. A player with experience in development contracts, a hard worker, inspires the team.

Softbank’s Naoki Sato hits the opening run. A player with experience in development contracts, a hard worker, inspires the team.


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Professional Baseball – SoftBank

Orix vs SoftBank (25th, Kyocera)

It was a hit that showed his growth. Softbank’s No. 9 Naoki Sato hit a leadoff hit in the third inning. A hard-working player who also had experience with development contracts, he inspired his team with his bat.

The score was 0-0 in the third inning with one out and a runner on second base. He stepped up to bat against the talented left-handed pitcher Ryuhei Soya, thinking, “He’s a good pitcher. I’ll swing aggressively before he gets cornered.” Just as he had planned, with one ball and one strike, he bit into a low curveball and hit a timely single to center field. “I was able to make good contact,” he said with a smile.

After graduating from Hyogo’s Hotoku Gakuen High School and playing for JR West Japan, he joined the team in 2020 as the first draft pick. Although he said at the time that he was confident in his legs and shoulders, he was unable to produce results due to his batting issues. After being released from the team in the offseason of 2023, he re-signed as a development player. He made up his mind to “grow as a person.” After a good performance in the second team this season, he was registered as a controlled player on June 1st due to an injury to main player Yuki Yanagida.

Although he has regained his uniform number “30,” the helmet he wears at bat still has the number “138” he wore in his development days. The 25-year-old, who has experienced the good and bad of being a professional, is struggling in the first team.[Yuji Ishikawa]

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