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RETURN to Teams Page
Top Picks from Amateur
Draft going into 2009 Season.
by Brandon Siefken,
JapanBall.com
(This page to remain posted until just before 2010 season.)
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Yuta Nakazaki |
Name
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| Pitcher |
Position
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| Nichinan Gakuen HS |
Previous Club
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| 3/11/91 |
Birthdate
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| 179 / 70 |
Centimeters / Inches
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| 79 / 174 |
Kilograms / Pounds
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| L / L |
Throws / Bats |
Nakazaki is a very polished pitcher with good
mechanics. He masterfully mixes his fastball with two types of sliders and
usually wins the chess match with batters.
Durability is a question and he wasn't relied
upon to carry the team splitting time with Arima (SoftBank) in high school. He
is the real deal. He's more of a clever, brainy pitcher in the Maddux/Kuwata
mold than one of pure power. On occasion he wobbles in his delivery, but this
can be fixed quickly with coaching.
Projection: You can't question the success Lions'
scouts have had drafting pitching, so we should see Nakazaki this year in some
capacity. He's too good to sit. He'll need to reign his energy so as to not get
burned out, and a question mark remains as to fatigue in a long season.
Nakazaki is a very talented, intelligent young
thrower and is fit to play at this level. He should contribute in spot relief
situations in 2009. He can make the roster on pure talent and tools and likely
will work his way into the rotation, perhaps in a year or so.
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Ryoma Nogami
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Name
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| Pitcher |
Position
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| Nissan
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Previous Club
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| 6/15/87
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Birthdate
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| 177 / 70 |
Centimeters / Inches
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| 68 / 150 |
Kilograms / Pounds
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| R / R
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Throws / Bats |
Nogami has raw talent, is mentally tough in a pinch, and hasn't
yet reached his full potential. He's ideal for a set-up role or even a closer
due to his mental toughness. He's a crafty, small pitcher with a lot of
experience and success at every level at which he's played.
Projection: Nogami needs more work to be a starter and doubtful
he'll contribute in 2009 in meaningful situations, though he'll perhaps get some
garbage time. He also needs to add some bulk to his small frame.
His mental toughness and stamina set him up nicely for a
reliever role down, but the Lions are not now desperate for pitching and his
pure talent is not good enough to warrant much playing time in 2009. weighing in
under 150 pounds, he must get bigger to have a chance.
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Hideto Asamura
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Name
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| Shortstop
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Position
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| Osaka Toin HS
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Previous Club
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| 11/12/90
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Birthdate
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| 181 / 71
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Centimeters / Inches
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| 78 / 172 |
Kilograms / Pounds
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| R / R
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Throws / Bats |
Asamura made a name for himself in the 2008
Koshien tournament. He's a massive shortstop in the mold of former Giant,
Motoki. A pure power hitter with very strong shoulders.
He's a decent fielder. Though not much of a base
stealer, can steal when called upon. He's an aggressive hitter and goes for the
long ball.
Projection: the Lions led the Pacific league in
RBIs and are packed with batters, so it wasn't a surprise to see them go for
pitching with their first picks. They found a great shortstop with this pick,
and he projects well as a pro shortstop who hits better than he fields.
He seems to think too much in the field, and most
likely can be coached to improve. He has some issues, but his raw ability and
talent are too much to pass on. Seibu should be patient and teach him the basics
slowly. They don't need someone to step in right now, and they did not draft him
for that.
He'll be a great shortstop, but not in 2009. In
2011 or 2012 I won't be surprised to see him playing in the all-star game.
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