I ordered draft magazines that showed up last week, though, and it's hard to let old habits die, since this is my 15TH YEAR IN A ROW TRANSLATING THE DRAFT so I can't imagine NOT doing it. I'll add to this post as it goes.
I'll be following along live on Sports Bull assuming it continues to work, and my goto for the text version of what's up pretty much forever has been Nikkan Sports. And whoa, is this a change from the normal stuff. Just a bunch of conference rooms with a bunch of masked men in there looking way more somber than they usually do for this event.
Status: DONE. I don't think I intend to touch this table again unless something needs to be fixed. The first round commentary and some other notes are below.
Name Pos HS/Univ/Company T/B DOB Ht/Wt -------------------- --- --------------- --- ---------- ------- Buffaloesx Teruaki Satoh1 Shunpeita Yamashita P Fukuoka Univ Ohhori HS R/R 07/16/2002 189/93 2 Kendai Gen OF Chukyo HS R/R 05/17/2002 186/85 3 Ryoto Kita OF Akashi Shogyo HS R/L 10/16/2002 178/78 4 Hayate Nakagawa P Rikkyo Univ R/L 10/10/1998 184/80 5 Takuma Nakagawa C Toyohashi Chuo HS R/R 07/17/2002 177/86 6 Shota Abe P Nihon Seimei R/L 11/03/1992 178/78 i1 Kento Kawase P Oita Shogyo HS R/R 06/18/2002 183/85 i2 Takara Tsujigaki P Shoin Gakuen Fukushima L/L 06/10/2002 182/83 i3 Yuki Udagawa P Sendai Univ R/R 11/10/1998 184/94 i4 Jui Tsuri C Kyoto Kokusai HS R/R 06/30/2002 181/87 i5 Yukikazu Sano OF Sendai Univ R/L 09/02/1998 174/80 i6 Taku Kochoh IF Fukushima Red Hopes R/R 08/05/1994 164/67 Swallowsx Takahisa Hayakawa x Shota Suzuki1 Naofumi Kizawa P Keio Univ R/R 04/25/1998 183/85 2 Taichi Yamano P Tohoku Fukushi Univ L/L 03/24/1999 172/77 3 Soma Uchiyama C Seiryo HS R/R 06/30/2002 172/72 4 Hiyu Motoyama IF Tohoku Fukushi Univ R/L 12/04/1998 180/76 5 Hidetaka Namiki OF Dokkyo Univ R/R 03/23/1999 170/70 6 Sota Katekaru P Japan Aviation Ishikawa R/R 12/16/2002 191/106 i1 Shinnosuke Shimo P Takasaki Kenko Fukushi L/L 06/18/2002 183/87 i2 Yoshihiro Akahane IF Shinano Grandserows R/R 06/29/2000 178/78 i3 Sho Matsui C Shinano Grandserows R/L 05/29/1995 176/78 i4 Shota Maruyama P Nishinihon Kogyo Univ R/L 08/22/1998 192/80 Fighters 1 Hiromi Itoh P Komazawa Univ Tomakomai R/L 08/31/1997 176/80 2 Ryota Isobata OF Chuo Univ R/L 11/27/1998 172/67 3 Yudai Furukawa C Jobu Univ R/L 06/19/1998 182/86 4 Ryohei Hosokawa IF Chiben Wakayama HS R/L 04/25/2002 174/75 5 Haruka Nemoto P Tomakomai Chuo HS L/L 03/31/2003 173/78 6 Yuma Imagawa OF JFE East R/R 01/25/1997 176/84 i1 Ryodai Matsumoto P Hanamaki Higashi HS R/R 05/17/2002 187/96 i2 Shinji Saitoh P Tokyo Joho Univ R/R 06/13/1998 181/83 Carp 1 Ryoji Kuribayashi P Toyota R/R 07/09/1996 177/80 2 Daisuke Moriura P Tenri Univ L/L 06/15/1998 175/70 3 Haruki Ohmichi P Hachinohe Gakuin Univ R/R 01/20/1999 178/78 4 Tatsuto Kobayashi P Chiben Wakayama HS R/R 01/16/2003 182/79 5 Shun Namiki P Tokushima Indigo Socks R/R 01/08/2000 183/75 6 Masaya Yano IF Asia Univ R/L 12/16/1998 173/71 i1 Shoichi Futamata C Iwata Higashi HS R/R 10/21/2002 180/76 Eagles 1 Takahisa Hayakawa P Waseda Univ L/L 07/06/1998 179/72 2 Koichi Takata P Hosei Univ R/R 06/03/1998 183/88 3 Masaru Fujii P ENEOS L/L 10/03/1996 175/78 4 Takuma Uchima P Asia Univ R/R 11/21/1998 179/84 5 Daiki Irie IF Sendai Ikuei HS R/R 06/06/2002 185/82 6 Seiryu Uchi P Riseisha HS R/L 04/24/2002 190/88 i1 Shun Ishida P Tochigi Golden Braves R/R 05/27/1997 180/74 Baystars 1 Taisei Irie P Meiji Univ R/R 08/26/1998 187/84 2 Shugo Maki IF Chuo Univ R/R 04/21/1998 178/81 3 Ryunosuke Matsumoto P Yokohama HS L/L 07/31/2002 186/76 4 Daichi Kobukata IF Riseisha HS R/L 03/25/2003 176/87 5 Sota Ikeya P Yamaha L/L 08/02/1999 174/76 6 Takuto Takada P Shizuoka Shogyo HS L/L 09/18/2002 177/74 i1 Tatsuya Ishikawa P Hosei Univ L/R 04/15/1998 178/73 i2 Dai Katoh P Yokohama Hayato HS R/R 04/24/2002 177/81 Lionsx Takahisa Hayakawa1 Kento Watanabe IF Toin Yokohama Univ R/R 12/26/1998 176/113 2 Takeru Sasaki P NTT East L/L 05/13/1996 179/85 3 Takayoshi Yamamura IF Tokaidai Sagami HS R/L 09/28/2002 180/85 4 Gakuto Wakabayashi OF Komazawa Univ R/R 04/13/1998 177/75 5 Ren Ohmagari P Fukuoka Univ R/R 05/21/1998 179/78 6 Brandon Taiga Tysinger IF Nodai Okhotsk Univ R/R 06/14/1998 178/84 7 Yuta Nakamigawa OF Osaka Toin HS R/L 10/22/2002 180/94 i1 Yuto Akagami P Tohoku Koeki Univ R/R 02/10/1999 177/80 i2 Shinya Hasegawa OF Tsuruga Kehi HS R/R 05/17/2002 183/80 i3 Joseph Ken Miyamoto OF Nagoya Gakuin Univ R/R 03/21/1999 175/86 i4 Taishi Mameda P Urawa Jitsugyo Gakuen R/R 01/15/2003 173/80 i5 Yoshinobu Mizukami P Shikoku Gakuin Univ R/R 07/13/1998 176/81 Tigers 1 Teruaki Satoh IF Kinki Univ R/L 03/13/1999 186/92 2 Masashi Itoh P JR East L/L 05/08/1996 178/85 3 Ren Satoh P Jobu Univ R/R 04/11/1998 188/102 4 Yuki Sakaeda C Ritsumeikan Univ R/R 05/16/1998 179/79 5 Shoki Murakami P Toyo Univ R/L 06/25/1998 174/75 6 Takumu Nakano IF Mitsubishi Okazaki R/L 06/28/1996 172/67 7 Nozomu Takatera IF Ueda Nishi HS R/L 10/17/2002 178/68 8 Daichi Ishii P Kochi Fighting Dogs R/R 07/29/1997 175/81 i1 Masaki Iwata P Kyushu Sangyo Univ L/L 06/16/1998 178/83 Marinesx Takahisa Hayakawa1 Shota Suzuki P Hosei Univ L/L 09/07/1998 175/81 2 Shunsuke Nakamori P Akashi Shogyo HS R/L 05/29/2002 181/79 3 Ryusei Ogawa P Kokugakuin Univ R/L 04/05/1998 172/82 4 Tokito Kawamura P Seisa Dohto Univ R/R 06/18/1997 192/85 5 Ryosuke Nishikawa OF Tokaidai Sagami HS R/R 04/19/2002 186/92 i1 Yuito Tanigawa C Risshodai Shonan HS R/R 05/27/2002 178/72 i2 Kenta Onuma P Ibaraki Astro Planets R/R 06/11/1998 189/86 i3 Daito Yamamoto OF Kaisei HS R/R 08/09/2002 180/90 i4 Shoma Satoh P Senshu Univ L/L 06/02/1998 177/78 Dragons 1 Hiroto Takahashi P Chukyodai Chukyo HS R/R 08/09/2002 183/84 2 Hiroto Mori P Nittai Univ R/R 05/25/1998 177/80 3 Ryuku Tsuchida IF Ohmi HS R/L 12/30/2002 180/77 4 Shota Fukushima P Kurashiki Kogyo HS L/L 10/24/2002 177/88 5 Tsubasa Katoh P Teikyodai Kani HS R/R 12/14/2002 179/76 6 Hironori Miyoshi OF JFE West L/L 09/28/1997 180/82 i1 Ren Kondoh P Sapporo Gakuin Univ L/L 09/22/1998 180/87 i2 Kotaro Ueda P Kyoei HS L/L 09/06/2002 184/95 i3 Yuta Matsukihira P Seika HS R/R 02/24/2003 178/70 Hawksx Teruaki Satoh1 Tomoya Inoue IF Hanasaki Tokuharu HS R/R 01/28/2003 181/88 2 Yoshiyasu Sasagawa OF Yokohama Shogyo HS L/L 05/31/2002 193/86 3 Kota Makihara C Nichidai Fujisawa HS R/L 07/13/2002 176/82 4 Junpei Kawarada IF Aomori Yamada HS R/R 05/21/2002 170/72 5 Sota Tanoue P Riseisha HS R/L 11/26/2002 185/83 i1 Hiroki Satoh P Keio Univ L/L 02/18/1999 180/80 i2 Yuya Nakamichi P Hachinohe Gakuin Univ L/L 09/04/1998 182/75 i3 Shuji Kuwahara P Kamimura Gakuen HS R/R 05/29/2002 175/80 i4 Shinnosuke Haya OF Kyoto Kokusai HS L/L 09/11/2002 178/78 i5 Riku Ogata IF Komazawa Univ R/L 09/22/1998 175/70 i6 Shoma Itani C Meiho HS R/R 12/30/2002 177/77 i7 Shinno Ohshiro P Ginoza HS L/L 11/24/2002 170/67 i8 Ryota Nakamura P Nodai Okhotsk Univ R/R 05/18/1998 185/76 Giantsx Teruaki Satoh1 Ryuta Heinai P Asia Univ R/R 09/07/1998 186/90 2 Iori Yamasaki P Tokai Uinv R/L 10/10/1998 181/72 3 Raito Nakayama IF Chukyodai Chukyo HS R/L 04/12/2002 181/81 4 Yusuke Itoh P Mitsubishi Power R/R 01/14/1997 178/83 5 Yuto Akihiro IF Nishogakusha HS R/L 09/17/2002 200/95 6 Itsuki Yamamoto P Chukyo Univ L/L 06/28/1998 181/87 7 Tetsu Hagiwara C Soka Univ R/L 05/18/1998 174/82 i1 Hiroto Okamoto IF Yonago Higashi HS R/R 09/12/2002 190/92 i2 Ryusuke Kita C Kyoto Adv. Sci. Univ R/R 08/25/1998 180/83 i3 Naoki Kasashima P Tsuruga Kehi HS R/R 12/07/2002 178/78 i4 Motoya Kinoshita P Yokohama HS R/R 05/01/2002 185/88 i5 Kenki Maeda C Komazawa Univ R/L 12/13/1998 180/85 i6 Hayato Sakamoto C Karatsu Shogyo HS R/R 04/15/2002 177/83 i7 Natsuki Toda P Tokushima Indigo Socks R/R 07/22/2000 172/70 i8 Kenyu Abe P Sapporo Ohtani HS L/L 05/17/2002 200/98 i9 Riku Naraki P Tsukuba Univ R/R 04/16/1998 182/90 i10 Yusuke Yamasaki P Fukuyama Univ R/R 05/02/1998 178/80 i11 Koichi Hoshina OF Soka Univ L/L 06/03/1998 187/92 i12 Ren Katoh IF Tokai Univ Marine Sci. R/L 01/12/1999 181/80
Here's what happened in the first round and lotteries (moved from above)
Orix: Teruaki Satoh (Kinki Univ IF)
Yakult: Takahisa Hayakawa (Waseda RHP)
Fighters: Hiromi Itoh (Komadai Tomakomai RHP)
Carp: Ryoji Kuribayashi (Toyota RHP)
Eagles: Hayakawa
Baystars: Taisei Irie (Meiji RHP)
Seibu: Hayakawa
Hanshin: Satoh
Chiba Lotte: Hayakawa
Dragons: Hiroto Takahashi (Chukyodai HS RHP)
Hawks: Satoh
Giants: Satoh
First lottery is for Satoh, and Hanshin wins.
Second lottery is for Hayakawa, and Rakuten wins.
Consolation picks (for the Hayakawa and Satoh lottery losers):
Orix: Shunpeita Yamashita (Fukuoka Ohhori HS P)
Yakult: Shota Suzuki (Hosei Univ P)
Seibu: Kento Watanabe (Toin Yokohama Univ IF)
Lotte: Suzuki
Hawks: Tomoya Inoue (Hanasaki Tokuharu HS OF)
Giants: Ryuta Heinai (Asia Univ P)
And the Suzuki lottery goes to... Chiba Lotte!
Yakult gets to make a 1st-round pick that nobody can challenge and they take... Naofumi Kizawa from Keio! That's exciting, I've seen him pitch quite a bit recently.
So the actual first round is:
Buffaloes: Shunpeita Yamashita (Fukuokadai Ohhori HS RHP)
Yakult: Naofumi Kizawa (Keio RHP)
Fighters: Hiromi Itoh (Komadai Tomakomai RHP)
Carp: Ryoji Kuribayashi (Toyota RHP)
Eagles: Takahisa Hayakawa (Waseda RHP)
Baystars: Taisei Irie (Meiji RHP)
Lions: Kento Watanabe (Toin Yokohama Univ IF) <-- looks like another Okawari-kun
Tigers: Teruaki Satoh (Kinki Univ IF)
Marines: Shota Suzuki (Hosei Univ LHP)
Dragons: Hiroto Takahayashi (Chukyodai HS RHP)
Hawks: Tomoya Inoue (Hanasaki Tokuharu HS OF)
Giants: Ryuta Heinai (Asia Univ P)
Whee.
Some more comments:
1) This is the first year EVER that every single team took players in the Ikusei draft. The Fighters in general did not do ikusei contracts at ALL until the 2019 season; you can see our draft record and that our first ever ikusei draftee was Kazuyoshi Ebihara in the fall 2018 draft. But in 2019 the Swallows and Baystars didn't take any ikusei players and in 2018 the Dragons didn't.
2) It's really interesting that without a standard Koshien and set of high school hype events, there wasn't a huge fight for some high school kid in the first round for a change. Chunichi named one but that was the only original first-rounder (but there were three after the post-lotteries dust settled)
3) I had no idea the Ibaraki Astro Planets even existed. It sounds like they joined the BCL in 2019 for their first season. (I haven't made it to a BCL game in person in a few years, it just rarely works out these days. I do look at the schedule every year and which former pro players are where)
4) Yes, the romanization of タイシンガー・ブランドン大河 is "Brandon Taiga Tysinger". His father's American, he was born in Okinawa, and his Twitter confirms the name.
5) Lions ikusei #3, Joseph Ken Miyamoto, his father is from Ghana (scout comments say he inherited his father's bright personality).
6) The NPB abolished the "Tazawa Rule" this year but everyone declined to draft Junichi Tazawa anyway. I don't think this is that crazy -- first, he's 34 years old and would easily be the oldest person ever drafted. I read an article this morning where a scout literally said "Drafting him seems contrary to the purpose of the draft, and we wouldn't want to use a slot on him. He has an agent, he can figure out what to do next." But, I dunno, I had a friend who was really expecting him to get taken. I'm unclear on what this actually means, whether he can still join an NPB team if one wanted him, signed outside the draft, since nobody drafted him when he went into the draft? The NPB outlawed outside-draft signings in 1990 (the last person to do it was Joe Furukawa, since his family moved to CA when he was six, and he played college ball at Berkeley and UC Irvine and they made an exception for him in 1992. You might recognize his name as first Marty Brown's interpreter in Japan and then Yu Darvish's interpreter in the US) and these days returnees just go into the draft like Shuhei Fujiya did a few years ago. So, I think he's still not allowed, but I honestly don't know if there's a loophole.
I'm actually making a separate post about my next point since it started getting long. Whoa, two posts in a year. Am I allowed?