Eight independent league teams offered to join the team even though they were not nominated professionally, and was it because of the legend father's halo

Oct 31, 2024

Guio University infielder Kiyohara Shogo. It is Kazuhiro Kiyohara, whose father recorded 525 home runs in Japanese professional baseball. Photo capture = Sports Hochi

Kiyohara shaking hands with Yang Jun-hyuk, who participated in the 2012 Korea-Japan Legend Match. Sports Chosun DB

He was not selected in the recent NPB rookie draft, but there are a series of offers to recruit. Miyazaki Sunshine of the Kyushu Asian League, a Japanese independent league, sent a love call to infielder Kiyohara Shogo (22). Japanese media reported that Shogo Kiyohara has officially offered to recruit him to Keio University, where he is attending. Miyazaki Sunshine was founded in 2022 and joined the Asian League in 2023. It is an underdog team with 10 wins, 3 draws and 63 losses and a winning rate of 1337 this season. Shogo Kiyohara is needed as a catalyst for the team's reform.

There is likely to be a scramble for Kiyohara Shogo, which 12 teams in both professional baseball leagues have turned away. So far, a total of eight teams, including Miyazaki, have expressed their intention to recruit. All eight teams are independent league and second division teams.

Tokushima Indigo Sox of the Shikoku Island League, where Keisho Shirakawa, who played for SSG Landers and Doosan Bears this season, as well as Oy6 Niigata and Kuhu Hayate, who joined the second division of Japanese professional baseball this year, reached out. BC League teams such as Tochigi also showed interest.

A total of 123 people received professional team nominations in the 2025 rookie draft. Of these, 54 are not official contracts, but nurturing players. The road to becoming a professional player is very narrow. However, even if you don't get a professional team's choice right away, your path to becoming a professional player is not lost. You can try again by gaining experience in the social league or the independent league.

A total of four players, including Yook Sung, were nominated by Shirakawa's team Tokushima this year. Yokohama BayStars outfielder Watarai Ryuki joined this year as the No. 1 pick after graduating from high school through a social team.

It has a one-year contract with an independent league team. I can try to become a professional next year.

1 m86-90 kg, utuuta first baseman.

I took a different path than other professional aspirants. I played baseball when I was in elementary school, and then I played volleyball in middle school. After attending Keio University, he played American football and returned to baseball in his second year. If you look at your baseball career, you don't notice it. Shogo Kiyohara has played in 29 games since his second year's fall league, batting .226 (24 hits in 106 at-bats) with two home runs and 11 RBIs. In this year's Spring League, he played as the fourth batter and reached the best line as the first baseman. 파워가 좋다

Kiyohara's batting appearance during the Yomiuri period. Sports Chosun DB

have been evaluated as.

Kiyohara Shogo gets more attention because of his father. It is legendary Kazuhiro Kiyohara (57), whose father hit a career '525 home runs'. Kiyohara Kazuhiro graduated from Osaka PL Academy and joined the Seibu Lions as a first-place name. He became a model for baseball comics.

Kiyohara Shogo said he has no intention of going to the society team or the independent league team even if he doesn't get the nomination ahead of the rookie draft. I think a new path will be opened only when I change my mind.

Reporter Min Chang-ki huelva@sportschosun.com

huelva@sportschosun.com