Five players from Japan’s 2017 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup team selected in NPB Draft
Five players from Japan's 2017 U-18 National Team were selected in the latest NPB Draft, while two more draftees played for Japan in the U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018.
Five members of the Japanese U-18 Baseball National Team that earned a bronze medal at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 were today selected in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Draft.
Pitcher Hikaru Yamashita (Photoed; Hosei University) was selected in the first round by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. He appeared in two games for Samurai Japan in the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017. He earned one win against Cuba on 3 September, going 5.1 innings, and pitched 2.1 innings out of the bullpen against Canada on 8 September.
Pitcher Souma Tokuyama (Waseda University) was the Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars' second pick. He started three games for Samurai Japan in the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 and earned two wins.
Outfielder Kazuya Maruyama (Meiji University) was the Tokyo Yakult Swallows' second selection of the draft. He was the starting center fielder for Samurai Japan at the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017.
Yuto Koga (Chuo University) was the Saitama Seibu Lions' third draftee taken. He was Japan's starting catcher at the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017.
Pitcher Ginji Miura (Hosei University) was the Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars' fourth draftee selected. He was the ace of Samurai Japan pitching staff at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017. He started two games, including the bronze medal against Canada, pitching a combined 12 innings without allowing a run.
Three more players selected in the NPB Draft have played for the Japanese National Baseball Team.
Outfielder Ryoma Ikeda was the Orix Buffaloes's fifth player taken in the draft. He batted .318 for fourth place Samurai Japan at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018.
Pitcher Kyosuke Kuroyanagi (Chukyo High School, affiliated with Chukyo University) was the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters' fifth player taken in the draft. He appeared in four games for Samurai Japan at the U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018.
Pitcher Shunsuke Sato (Tsukuba University) was the Saitama Seibu Lions's second draftee taken. He participated in the 43rd US-Japan Collegiate Baseball Series.
