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RETURN to Teams Page
NPB Japanese Professional Baseball Draft Guide
by Brandon Siefken, JapanBall.com
(This page to remain posted until just before 2010 season.)
For the first time in years the draft for the 2009 season subjected all
amateur levels (high school, university, and industrial league) to the same
draft.
Each team is ranked and graded using three criteria:
- How a team met its needs;
- What talent was drafted...and passed by; and,
- The value received for the round.
A brief recap of team statistics are given before the analysis.
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Team: |
Dragons |
Draft Rank: |
2 |
Grade: |
A |
|
2008 Statistical Finish out of Six Clubs in League |
| Record |
71-68-5 (3rd) |
RBI |
535 (6th) |
| RA* |
556 (3rd) |
ERA |
3.53 (3rd) |
| * Runs Allowed |
Chunichi had a lot of holes to fill and they ended up helping
themselves immensely. They got more value with their later picks than any other
team. They also picked up players that can help their hitting and pitching
now.
First Round: Outfielder Kei Nomoto from
Nippon Express in the industrial league. A very balanced and polished player.
His fielding in the outfield will probably help more than his hitting, but
overall he's a dependable player who can be used right away.
Second Round: Junki Ito, a lanky
flamethrower (91 mph) from Gifu Johoku High School. Ito was highly touted
and has raw tools and a lot of potential. He's in the Yu Darvish mold and
Chunichi will be happy if he develops quickly since Kawakami’s departure hurts
their pitching badly.
Third Round: Kyohei Iwasaki, a very good
infielder from Tokai University.
In the later rounds the Dragons nabbed Ryosuke
Oguma, a pitcher from Ohmi High School and Yohei Takashima from Teikyo High
School. These two are of great value and could start immediately.
I could not believe a team could get this much
talent with late picks. Chunichi must be ecstatic about landing all of this
ready-to-start talent.
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