MLB》Japanese 18-year-old fireball man wants to go to the United States directly. Former Blue Jays Japanese player: This road is very difficult
The forced naming of the Yomiuri Giants in the draft has sparked discussion. Former Blue Jays player Go Kato will share his experience and call for making the Japanese professional environment more attractive.
Quick Look
- 18-year-old Japanese pitcher Shoki Oda announced his challenge for the American professional league.
- Although the Yomiuri Giants named him in the first round of the draft, he still insisted on living in the United States.
- Former Blue Jays player Go Kato pointed out that it is difficult to adapt to the language and life in the United States, and called on Japan to improve the environment to retain talents.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Shoki Oda is a pitcher for Yokohama High School, with the fastest ball speed reaching 157 kilometers. Go Kato will be a Japanese-American professional player who played for the Yankees and Blue Jays before moving to Japan.
Shoki Oda. (File photo, taken by reporter Lin Zhengkun)
[Sports Center/Comprehensive Report] Japan's 18-year-old fireball player Shoki Oda recently stated that he wants to challenge the Major League stage. However, the Yomiuri Giants still "forcibly named" Shoki Oda in the first round of the Japanese professional draft this year, sparking discussion. Former Blue Jays Japanese player Gohika Kato recently participated in the podcast of Yuya Taniguchi, his teammate from Nippon Ham days, and he believed that the road to directly moving to the United States was very difficult.
Oda Shoki, from Yokohama High School, has the fastest ball speed of 157 kilometers. He came to Taiwan to participate in the U18 Asian Youth Baseball Championship in September. At that time, he started to face the Taiwanese team and surrendered 6 games with 7K and 1 point, helping the Japanese team win.
Regarding Oda Shoki, who has stated that he will not go to Nippon Professional Baseball and directly challenge the major leagues, Kato Gosho said in the podcast, "He has the ability to throw a 157-kilometer fast ball, but for a senior who has been through the minor leagues, this is a very difficult road. Not only must he adapt to English, but he must also get used to local life."
Kato Gosho said, "I think he made his choice after fully considering these things, so I respect him very much. All we can do is support him. 18 years old is still very young, and I am looking forward to how far he can grow in the future."
Go Kato is a Japanese player born in California, USA. He was selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2013 US Professional Draft. After 10 years of struggle in the minor leagues, he entered the major leagues in 2022 during the Blue Jays period. He played in 8 games with a total of 7 at-bats and 2 hits, with a batting average of 0.143. Go Kato will move to Nippon Ham in 2023, announce his retirement after the 2024 season, and serve as a staff member of the Blue Jays.
In recent years, a number of Japanese high school seniors have chosen to live in the United States instead of working in Japan. Kato Gosho believes, "Instead of thinking about preventing players from going to the United States, it is better to let players have the idea that 'staying in Japan will be happier.' I hope that Nippon Professional Baseball can create an environment that makes players want to stay and play in Japan, and let everyone know how powerful NPB actually is."
Open Questions
- Will Shoki Oda eventually sign with a Major League Baseball team?
- What will be the follow-up actions of the Yomiuri Giants on this naming result?
