Except for Samurai Japan who will run to WBC next year and all Premier 12 players, 20 of the 28 representative players were selected for the first time (Min Chang-ki's Japanese baseball)

Feb 14, 2025

Japanese baseball team coach Ibata announced the list of national players to play in the warm-up match against the Netherlands on the 14th. Of the 28 players, 20 are the first to be selected. Photo capture = Japanese baseball team homepage

Japanese national team coach Ibata led the team to victory in the 2023 APBC. He smiled broadly at his first international competition since taking office as the head coach. Photo capture = Japanese baseball team homepage

Manager Hirokazu Ibata (50) announced the list of players for the Japanese national baseball team and Samurai Japan on the afternoon of the 14th. Twenty-eight players were selected to play in the warm-up match against the Netherlands on March 5-6. There are 12 pitchers, 3 catchers, 8 infielders, and 5 outfielders. The new faces were named in large numbers.

The Japanese national team holds warm-up matches every year in the offseason to check their power and test their new faces. The European starting team was called in in March last year and the Czech national team was called in in November. Both matches against the Netherlands will be held at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka.

Manager Ibata even revealed the starting pitcher. Hiroya Miyagi (Orix Buffaloes) will start the first game on March 5 and Atsuki Tanichi (Chiba Lotte Marines) on the 6th.

Left-hander Miyagi is the winner of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Japanese national team. 'Super Ace'Yamamoto Yoshinobu (LA Dodgers) has been playing the role of Orix ace since his departure. He has won 42 games in the past four years. In his ninth year as a member of the club, right-hander Danage had a 7-8 record with a 3.05 ERA last year.

There is something that stands out in this national team list. All Premier 12 representative players were missing in November last year. As many as 20 of the 28 representative players are the first to be selected.

There have been no players who have been the main players of the national team. Pitchers Shosei Dogo, Daisei Otahashi (Yomiuri Giants), Hiroto Takahashi (Chunichi Dragons), Hiroto Saiki (Hanshin Tigers), Jihiro Sumida (Seibu Lions), catcher Takuya Guy (Yomiuri), infielder Murakami Munetaka (Yakurt

Japan finished second in the 2024 Premier 12. I lost to Taiwan in the final. Photo capture = Japanese baseball team homepage

Swallows), Kazuma Okamoto (Yomiuri), Sosuke Genda (Seibu), and outfielder Kondo Kenske (Softbank Hawks) were excluded.

Manager Ibata said, `Existing representative players already know their skills, and there are warm-up matches in the fall, so they were excluded. "I picked a lot of left-handed middle-handed martial arts, but I hope you show a good performance." He also said, `I felt that I needed a long shot through the Premier 12 last year.' Japan lost to Taiwan in the Premier 12 final last year. The shock was even greater after losing to Taiwan, which was viewed as a step down.

This time, the national team will participate in warm-up matches, not major international competitions. The intention is to use the relatively less burdensome game as an opportunity to test new faces. It will serve as an opportunity to expand the pool of representative players. Coach Ibata selected college student prospects last year to gain experience. Most of them became professional players with the top draft picks in 2025.

Japan is focusing on the WBC, which will be held in March next year. This warm-up match is also part of the preparation process for the second consecutive victory in the tournament. 일본은 2023년 오타니 쇼

Dogo played for Japan in the Premier 12 in November last year. He was excluded from the list of the national team. Photo capture = Japanese baseball team homepage

He beat the U.S. with the strongest members including Hey (LA Dodgers), Darvish Yu (San Diego Padres), and Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox) to lift the trophy for the first time in 14 years.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.