High school baseball stars declare intent for 2026 NPB Draft

Several high-profile high school baseball players have officially submitted their intent to enter the 2026 NPB Draft.

Ryota Kurokawa, the ace pitcher from Hanasaki Tokuharu, has filed his application. Kurokawa is a right-handed pitcher known for a fastball reaching 148 km/h. He played a pivotal role in leading Hanasaki Tokuharu to the top eight in the Spring Koshien tournament, recording an ERA of 0.47 during that run. He also led his team to the Summer Koshien tournament after a strong performance in the Saitama prefectural tournament.

Akihito Tanibuchi, an infielder from Osaka Toin, has also declared his professional ambitions. Tanibuchi is a left-handed power hitter who served as the cleanup hitter for the Spring Koshien championship team. He demonstrated significant offensive capability during the tournament, recording a .316 batting average with a home run and five RBIs.