A 174-centimeter outfielder from a social club after college is shaking up the Yomiuri Giants. He could be a center fielder this year.

The Yomiuri Giants of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) drafted outfielder Sasaki Sasaki of the Hitachi Factory in the third round of last year’s 2024 season rookie draft.

Born in 1999, Sasaki joined Hitachi Kogyo, a social baseball organization, after graduating from Teikyo High School and Toyo University. Japan’s social baseball teams are de facto unemployment organizations. At last year’s Asian Games, Japan fielded an all-social baseball team, and Hitachi Kokusai is one of them. They play in the social league under contract for a salary, but in recent years, many young players in their early to mid-20s have joined the league, 토토사이트 and professional clubs have been selecting talented players in the rookie draft.

Sasaki, who was drafted by Yomiuri, is currently making waves in the team. Local media has been reporting on him. On Feb. 12, Japanese media outlet Full Count reported, “Sasaki’s batting average in exhibition games through 10 games is 4 for 4, the best among 12 clubs.”

Sasaki, who had a four-hit game against the Hiroshima Toyokafe on Feb. 24

He has been posting “multi-hit” games and maintaining a 4-for-4 batting average. “Even in practice batting, Sasaki has been hitting balls over 170 kilometers per hour,” Full Count reported. Manager Shinnosuke Yomiuri Abe watched Sasaki’s batting and said, “All I can think is that he’s amazing.”

On paper, Sasaki is quite small for an outfielder at 174 centimeters tall. However, he has the punching power to hit one big hit after another. The local media said of Sasaki, “His punching power is impressive for his small size. He is an outfielder who has all three offensive and defensive skills.”

It’s not just about hitting. His defense in the outfield is also top-notch. Despite his short stature, he is quick on his feet, has a wide range of defense, 파워볼실시간 and is already known for his outfield defense.

With the arrival of the newcomer, the competition for Yomiuri’s starting outfield spot this season has become even more intense. With Abe even considering using Sasaki in the center field position, the battle for the starting job is likely to be defined in the next two weeks before the regular season begins.