Wada Watanabe selected by SoftBank in NPB Draft

Wada Watanabe, a left-handed pitcher from Keio University, was selected as the third-round pick by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the professional baseball draft. Following his selection, Watanabe expressed his ambition to join the ranks of the popular “Keio Trio” within the organization—consisting of players Yanagimachi, Masaki, and Hirose—to form a “Keio Four Brothers” group.

During his post-selection press conference, Watanabe presented a photograph of his high school teammate, Shogo Asano of the Yomiuri Giants, as a symbol of his competitive drive. The unique presentation drew significant attention and humorous reactions from fans on social media.

Watanabe stated his goal is to make his first-team debut from the start of the season. However, he emphasized his immediate commitment to Keio University, noting that he intends to focus on the upcoming Waseda-Keio games and the Meiji Jingu Tournament before transitioning fully to professional life.