Lotte’s second-round development pitcher, Yoshihide Takahashi, “I gained confidence closer the Hawks’ Kurihara closer two at-bats.”
Baseball King
2025.11.21(金) 04:13
“I went to Chikugo in April this year and played a game against Softbank. Kurihara was playing in the game, and I was able to hold them off closer two at-bats, which gave me confidence.”
Lotte’s second-ranked development pitcher, Yoshihide Takahashi (Tokushima, Shikoku League), gained confidence by pitching in games against NPB teams such as Softbank and The Giants.
Takahashi started the exchange game against Softbank in Chikugo on April 16, and in the 0-0 first inning with two outs runner and no outs, he hit Ryoya Kurihara out of the middle with a 128 km slider from 2 balls 1 strike, and in the next 0-0 3rd inning with two outs, he hit a ground ball fastball from 1 ball 1 strike to first base on the third pitch, a 146 km He got a single out of the first inning.
Takahashi has pitched three games against Softbank and one game against The Giants this season. He pitched three scoreless runs against Softbank on April 16, four scoreless innings on May 10, and five runs innings on July 27. He also started against The Giants on May 14, pitching five innings, closer five hit, strike out, and runs runs
“slider can get count, and the fact that I can get a struck out when I aim for a struck out leads to confidence,” said the pitch that Kurihara is confident in slider. slider throws not only a ball that changes horizontally, but also a slider that falls vertically. In addition to slider, he has curves, cutter, and fork balls.
He also has a very good fastball that he throws to the outside corner of right-handed hitter. “I’m confident,” he said emphatically.
Tokushima has produced NPB players for 13 consecutive years, with five players, including Takahashi, being selected by NPB teams in this year’s draft. Many of the players have gone on to play professionally, including Yasunari Kudo, who joined Hanshin Tigers as the first pick in last year’s development draft, was registered as a controlled player in March, and pitched in 18 games for the first team. “I really feel like I can’t let myself lose,” said Takahashi, who intends to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors who went pro from Tokushima.
Lotte has players of the same age, such as Yuto Kimura and Ryusei Terachi, but he said, “I don’t know any of them.”
“I think it’s important to avoid injuries and achieve good results,” he said, aiming to be registered as a controlled player as soon as possible.
Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita
â–¼ Yoshihide Takahashi
Date of birth: December 21, 2005
position: pitcher
Height / Weight: 178 cm / 82 kg
Throwing/Hitting: Right/Right
Career: Tadotsu High School – Shikoku League Tokushima – Lotte (2nd in development)