Softbank Hawks

The Hawks met with 1st round draft pick Nao Higashihama today and was presented him with the winning draft drawing card that was signed by Sadaharu Oh and Koji Akiyama.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Nippon Ham Fighters

Hideki Kuriyama's rating of the draft: 100 points.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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2nd round draft pick Tatsuya Morimoto has speed (can run the fifty meters in 6.0 seconds), a decent arm (throwing distance of 100 meters), and some pop (hit thirty-three home runs during his high school career).  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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The Fighters visited 4th round draft pick Ruita Usami and 6th round draft pick Shogo Yagi today.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012, Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Orix Buffaloes

The Buffaloes visited Ikusei 1st round draft pick Daiki Hara today.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Rakuten Eagles

Senichi Hoshino's rating of the draft (very happy with the first three selections): close to 100 points.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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The Eagles decided on 1st round draft pick Yudai Mori one hour before the start of the draft.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Chiba Lotte Marines

1st round draft pick Takahiro Matsunaga has not done any throwing for about two months.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012

The Marines visited Matsunaga today and presented him with the winning draft drawing card and some Lotte sweets.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Matsunaga is still not sure if he wants to turn pro and will spend some time thinking about what he wants to do by speaking to people not connected to sports (since pro athletes will probably suggest he turn pro).  Source: Sports Hochi 10/26/2012

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2nd round draft pick Hiroya Kawamitsu met with the Chiba Lotte Marines today.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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3rd round draft pick Tatsuhiro Tamura has a sweet tooth and was thinking about wanting to join Lotte.  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

Chunichi Dragons

1st round draft pick Koji Fukutani met with Morimichi Takagi about three hours after he was selected.  After their meeting (lasted about twenty minutes), Fukutani showed up in front of the media wearing a Dragons cap and holding a Doala mini plushie.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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2nd round draft pick Tatsuro Hamada wanted to play for the Dragons.  His parent's house is about ten minutes away from Nagoya Dome by bicycle.  The stadium is also located right in between his high school and dorm.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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3rd round draft pick Takeru Furumoto had surgery for a detached retina on the 15th -- he fouled a pitch off his face and suffered an orbital floor fracture during practices on August 7.  Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 10/26/2012

Yakult Swallows

The Swallows have lost four drawings in a row.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012

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1st round draft pick Taichi Ishiyama is the first player player the Swallows selected out of Yamaha (Industrial League) since Tatsuji Nishimura in 1989.  The hope is that he can make the starting rotation next season.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012

The Swallows visited Ishiyama today and presented him with the draft entry pass Junji Ogawa used on Thursday.  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

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The Swallows visited 2nd round draft pick Yasuhiro Ogawa today.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Yomiuri Giants

Tatsunori Hara's rating of the draft: 100 points.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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2nd round draft pick Susumu Orui has speed (can run the fifty meter in 5.7 seconds) and has a strong arm (throwing distance of 100 meters).  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

Hanshin Tigers

GM Katsuhiro Nakamura was ecstatic that Yutaka Wada drew the card to win 1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami.  He was also happy with the overall results of the draft.  Nakamura's rating of the draft: 120 points.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012

Team president Nobuo Minami's rating of the draft: 100 points.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012

Yutaka Wada's rating of the draft: 100 points.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Wada snapped a streak of twelve consecutive draft drawing losses.  Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 10/26/2012

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The Tigers, including GM Nakamura and Wada, 1st round draft pick Shintaro Fujinami today and presented him with the number ninteen.  The Tigers decided to go with the number nineteen because they want Fujinami to go above and beyond any pitcher that would wear the number eighteen (which is usually given to the staff ace).  Fujinami was also given the winning draft drawing card and a draft entry pass.  Source: Sports Hochi 10/26/2012, Daily Sports 10/26/2012

Fujinami could have an economic impact of about 4,447,140,000 yen for the Kinki region next year, according to Kansai University Graduate School Professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto.  This is assuming he does well.  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

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2nd round draft pick Fumiya Hojo grew up as a Tigers fans.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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3rd round draft pick Kojiro Tanabo is a starter but would like to become a pitcher like Kyuji Fujikawa.  He throws a fork and has a fastball that tops out at 151km/h.  His goal is to do well enough so that people know how to read his last name.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012, Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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The Tigers were the team 6th round draft pick Ryosuke Ogata wanted to play for the most -- he grew up liking the team because both his parents were fans.  He had right knee surgery before the start of the Fall League this year.  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

Hiroshima Carp

Team owner Hajime Matsuda's rating of the draft: 90 points.  Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 10/26/2012

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The Carp visited 1st round draft pick Hiroki Takahashi today.  Source: Sports Hochi 10/26/2012

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2nd round draft pick Seiya Suzuki has speed (can run the fifty in 5.8 seconds) and power (hit forty-three homers during his high school career).  He pitched in high school but will focus on being a position player, likely the infield, after turning pro.  Has confidence in his ability to hit the ball the opposite direction and his speed.

Kenjiro Nomura visited Suzuki after the draft on Thursday.

Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

Yokohama Bay Stars

There were three envelopes in the box when Kiyoshi Nakahata stuck his hand into the drawing box.  He selected the one in the middle.  Source: Sanspo 10/26/2012

Nakahata told reporters he may have lost some luck when he failed to wear brand new briefs to the draft -- he did not have any and instead grabbed the newest one he could find.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

Nakahata's rating of the draft: over ninety points.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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Nakahata, GM Shigeru Takada, chief scout Takashi Yoshida and scout Kunio Takei (武居邦生 sp?) visited 1st round pick Hiroyuki Shirasaki today.  Source: Nikkan Sports 10/26/2012

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3rd round draft pick Shoichi Ino has a fastball that tops out at 148km/h and can throw a curve in the 110km/h range.  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012

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4th round draft pick Daichi Akahori has confidence in his fielding and base-running abilities.  6th round draft pick Toshiro Miyazaki has some pop and hit a grand slam during the Inter-city Tournament this year.  Source: Sponichi 10/26/2012