[Tryout] Seibu Kento Watanabe hits a powerful home run! 2020 first-round pick, hitting his first home run against Nippon-Ham ‘s Naoya Ishikawa
Sports Hochi
2025.11.12(水) 11:08
◆ Able tryouts (12th, Mazda Stadium)
The Japan Professional baseball Players Association hosted the “Able Tryouts 2025 – Challenge and Beyond”, with 38 players participating. After Kento Watanabe outfielder being forced out of the lineup Seibu this offseason, he hit a powerful shot from the former Nippon-Ham Naoya Ishikawa pitcher in his first at-bat, a 145-kilometer straight ball into the left-field seats.
He was the first pick in the 2020 draft and was highly anticipated, earning nicknames such as “Okawari III.” He hit six Home Run in 2023, but has not hit a home run since then. He did not play this season.
Until last year, the joint tryouts for 12 teams were co-hosted by NPB and the Japan Professional baseball Players Association, but from this year onwards they will be hosted solely by the Players Association, with Able Holdings Co., Ltd. as sponsor.
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