“If you continue to use it Murakami style …” Tsubame OB also “casts” the future of Taishi Hirooka | Full-Count

Toshihiro Noguchi, who watched Hirooka closely when he was Yakult’s coach

An exchange between giant pitcher Kazuto Taguchi and Yakult infielder Taishi Hirooka was announced on Day 1, attracting the attention of the ball world. For both of them, it was a shock transfer in less than a month until the start of the season on March 26. Yakult beefed up the starting lineup in exchange for young and promising stocks. Some students on the baseball team mourn Hirooka’s release.

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Hirooka joined from Chiben Gakuen after being nominated for second place in the 2015 draft. In 2016, the first year, he made a brilliant impression by scoring his first base in the first at-bat for the first time in 56 years as High school graduate outfielder in the Central League. In 2019, his fourth year, he was in 91 games, most of his own, and posted the first 10 double-digit home runs. Although he was in the outfield last season, he only played 87 games, mostly for pinch hitters.

“I thought he was going to have an ambition …”. Toshihiro Noguchi, a Yakult alumnus, who has been active as a receiver for a total of 21 years in Nippon-Ham, Hanshin and Yokohama (now DeNA). As a drum trainer at Yakult for two years starting in 2017, I have felt Hirooka’s potential up close.

“I have the power to fly, my legs are fast, my shoulders are strong. What I have was outstanding. I was definitely one of the best prospects.”

It is said that the front of the team also named Hirooka at the top of the list and asked to “serve quickly”. As one of the students says, “I feel a little disappointed” that I let go of a “designated player as reinforcement.”