NPB Junior Tournament Coming Soon! Introducing the 2025 The Buffaloes Junior Players
Pacific League Insight Ikeda Sari
2025.12.24(水) 13:00
The NPB Junior Tournament KONAMI CUP 2025, a tournament to determine the No. 1 junior team for fifth and sixth graders, will be held at Meiji Jingu Stadium and Yokohama Stadium from Friday, December 26th. This year marks the 21st time the tournament has been held, and a total of 16 junior teams will compete for the title of Japan’s best over four days from December 26th.
Pacific League Insight introduces the junior teams of the six Pacific League teams participating in the tournament. We also interviewed the managers of each team about their team’s strengths and players to watch.
Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Junior is a team of 16 elite players, including two female players, selected from a tournament hosted by the team.
Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Junior selects players to participate in the NPB Junior Tournament through a selection process for sixth graders from each team that participated in the team-sponsored “Senoppi Presents 22nd Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Cup 2025 Boys and Girls baseball Tournament.” For the 2025 season, 16 players, including two female players, were selected through a digital challenge (screening based on video submissions) and a practical test.
The 16 players selected for 2025 are as follows:
2025 Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Junior ©ORIX Buffaloes
(number / Name / How to read / Team / Hometown / Position / Appeal Points)
#0 Daichi Umino Nintoku Youngers / Osaka / Pitching, Inside, Outside
“A player who can bring momentum to the team with outfield defense and base running by making use of his natural speed.”
#1 Soichiro Katsuki Naniwa Nakamars / Osaka / Pitching / Outside
“Pitching with a good tempo and control, and I can pitch without focusing on the opponent’s hitter at any pitcher.”
#2 Yusho Sakamoto Yamada Nishi Little Wolf / Osaka / Catcher
“The speed after catching is No. 1 on the team. With a calm lead, pitcher The key to the fan that pulls the camp.”
#3 Shori Haneda Tsukuda White Stars / Hyogo / Catch / Inside
“Koichi Haneda, who played an active role in Kintetsu The Buffaloes, the grandson of the former junior team coach! Expecting the strength of the game inherited from his grandfather number 3”
#4 Kamoi Ria Shimamoto Yankees / Osaka / Catcher / Inside
“Although she is a female player, she is a bright and energetic player, and although she is small, she can do catcher infield.”
#5 Shinji Kuramatsu Mihara The Lions / Osaka / Pitching
“Next to Captain Ogawa, the team’s vitality infield!
#6 Reisei Sakoguchi Kishiwada Eaglets / Osaka / Uchi
“Even though I’m an elementary school student, I can do defense that experts like infielder Pay attention to the handsome looks!”
#7 Taishi Ogura Koreyo Boys baseball / Hyogo / Pitching
“Guts is Team No. 1! A central figure that can be relied on in offense and defense.”
#8 Ueda Touma Nadanai Raiders / Hyogo / Catch / Outside
“The ball that comes out of the exciting swing is far from elementary school students, and it is the center of the batting lineup.”
#9 Atsuya Harada Victors / Hyogo / Pitching
“He boasts the physique of Team 1 and the distance of the ball that comes to the pressure point is one of the best in infielder the team.
#10 Sakura Ogawa Ikeda Wings / Osaka / Catch / Inside
“The captain of the team and the spirit of Team 1!
#11 Kei Nishioka Futami Friends Junior / Hyogo / Pitching, Inside, Outside
” mound A player who has good courage, pitcher, but is also fast and can hit long hits. #6 A handsome man who is not inferior to Yuguchi!”
#16 Kisaki Nishimura Naruo Higashi Victors / Hyogo / Pitching, Inside, Outside
“Although she is a female player, she has a strong desire to lose, pitcher she is not afraid to mix with boys mound Pay attention to the handling!”
#17 Jun Kishimoto Akashi Boys Jr / Hyogo / Pitching, Inside, Outside
He throws a sharp ball inside and outside from his blessed physique pitcher Even if you hit it, it’s the center of the team hitter “
#18 Kenichiro Kanazawa Tobo Nine Stream / Hyogo / Outside
“Not only does he have the momentum of the ball, but he can also manipulate the opponent at will pitcher and I have high expectations for him as a starter and reliever.”
#34 Yusei Fujii Mikage Shonen Part baseball / Hyogo / Inside
” Orix Buffaloes A player who inherits the number 34 of the strong hitter of the junior left.
・Captain… #10 Saki Ogawa
“All of them are players to watch” – Coach Shiozaki talks about the strengths of the 2025 The Buffaloes Junior Team
2025 Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Junior Manager Makoto Shiozaki / Kumamoto Technical High School – Nippon Steel Hirohata High School – 1997 Orix Buffaloes (until 2010) ©ORIX Buffaloes
The team staff is as follows.
Representative Katsunobu Okubo
Director: Makoto Shiozaki
Coach Naoki Yoshida
Coach Kazusaku Yamamoto
Manager: Yasuka Hamada
Trainer: Satoshi Kawasaki
We asked Coach Shiozaki about the 2025 Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Junior.
“This year’s team has good teamwork, good energy, and a very bright team. pitcher The team is stable, so we have the tenacity to take advantage of the few chances.”
Regarding the notable players, he said, “Everyone wants to be noticed, but especially captain #10 Ogawa is pulling the team up well and enlivening him,” showing deep trust in the captain.
Finally, when asked about his enthusiasm for the NPB Junior Tournament,
“I will do my best to play five games in Jingu and Yokohama with this member, and I would like to fight together with the staff, parents, and everyone involved in my team to provide the best memories for the children,” he concluded strongly. Orix Buffaloes The Buffaloes Please pay attention to the heated battle of the junior team!
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“NPB Junior Tournament”
With the desire to “make the goal of ‘dreaming of becoming a professional baseball’ more accessible Japan the National Tournament of Soft baseball by 5th and 6th graders is sponsored and held by the baseball Organization (NPB) and 12 professional baseball teams. A total of 16 junior teams, selected and organized by 12 NPB clubs, 2 NPB Farm regular season participating clubs, and 2 affiliated leagues of the Japan Independent League baseball, will compete for the top spot on the stage of Japan the stadium where the professional team is based. It is a tournament that can be said to be the “gateway to professional success” that has produced many professional baseball players so far, and this year is the 21st time it has been held.
◯ Schedule
December 26 (Fri) ~ December 29 (Mon) 4 days
◯ Venue
Meiji Jingu Stadium: December 26 (Fri) ~ 29 (Mon) *No reserve days
Yokohama Stadium: December 26 (Fri) ~ 28 (Sun) *Reserve 29 (Mon)
◯General admission
Free to watch
◯Click here for details
Text: Sari Ikeda