A big step to take tonight. Yakult’s first draft pick, rookie Yasunobu Okugawa (19) will be the first professional starter in the final game of the season against Hiroshima. Don’t miss the moment to climb the illuminated mound.

Signal to watch <1> the sharpness and elongation of the straight ball

After all, it is a characteristic of high school. The straight ball that has captivated many fans at Koshien can be said to be a work of art. Some receivers described it as “pulling a rope”. The fastest after entering a pro is 154 km. Of course, the visualization of the ball’s speed is concerning, but the reaction in the batter’s seat is also worth watching, where you can experience the real sharpness.

Points to watch <2> Ball control

It is also important to see the condition of Okugawa. I would like to see a scene in Jingu where a 140 kilometer hairpin ball is carefully decided with a stone and steals a strike. When I got on the board in the final game of the Eastern League, the game against Japan Ham (Kamagaya) on day 1, the form was unbalanced and many balls were floating higher. How do you fix it by climbing the board on the eighth day from there?

Points to watch <3> Okugawa smile

The mound is a pretty standing figure, but the point of charm is the occasional smile from a 19-year-old. Even on the mound, he sometimes shows white teeth when he plays well with his teammates or when he meets his teammates. Especially when going back to the bank, every move in the bank is very attractive.

It has been 391 days since the draft meeting in October last year when director Shingo Takatsu acquired the right to negotiate after competing with three teams. First start in an army. On the baseball team, the first newcomer to the board has won the first victory in the last 13 people. However, only one high school graduate, Shiro Shiro, registered in 1964. Also, because Hanzawa won the ransom, Okugawa will be the first high school graduate to win the first pitching outing.