We are pleased to announce that Issei Watanabe, a former player of the GXA Skyhawks—our hardball baseball club team based in Yamato City, Kanagawa—and currently a student-athlete at Sendai University (Miyagi), was selected by the Orix Buffaloes in the 4th round of the developmental draft at the NPB Draft Meeting held yesterday, October 23.
This is a tremendous achievement for both the player and our organization. We will continue to support Watanabe as a member of the Orix Buffaloes and look forward to his future success.
Orix Buffaloes Official Website (2025 Draft Picks)
Player Profile
Issei Watanabe
A left-handed pitcher with a top velocity of 153 km/h. He began playing baseball in first grade at Kamiyabe Elementary School with Yokohama Chuo Little League. During his time at Okatsu Junior High School, he played for Yamato Boys as both a pitcher and an outfielder.
He initially enrolled in a highly competitive high school in the Kanto region but transferred in his second year to the correspondence program of Japan Aviation High School, where he played for BBC Skyhawks (now GXA Skyhawks).
At Sendai University, he made his debut in the spring of his freshman year. By his junior year (spring season), he emerged as the team’s ace, recording 3 wins and 0 losses with an outstanding ERA of 0.27. He earned three major titles: MVP, Best Pitcher, and Best Nine.
In the All Japan University Baseball Championship, he pitched 5 innings in the first round against Seisa Dohto University, allowing 2 hits and striking out 7 with no runs conceded. He also appeared as a reliever in the second round. Additionally, he took the mound in exhibition games for Samurai Japan and in games against the Japan National Team for the BFA U-18 Asian Championship.
With a powerful fastball and an effective changeup, combined with excellent control of pitching tempo, he is a highly promising left-handed pitcher known for his high strikeout rate.