# NPB professional baseball draft results

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/npb-professional-baseball-draft-results
> Updated: 2026-10-26T04:48:00.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

During the professional baseball draft held in Tokyo on October 22, the Orix Buffaloes selected pitcher Futo Kakuta from Fuji University as their first-round pick. Kakuta, a right-handed pitcher noted for a 153 km/h fastball, is the first player from Hirosaki City to be selected in the first round since 1989.

Following the draft, Orix Buffaloes General Manager Junichi Fukura visited Fuji University to meet with Kakuda. The club intends to utilize Kakuda as a potential immediate starter to bolster a rotation currently affected by injuries. Additionally, the Chunichi Dragons held a ceremony for their first-round selection, pitcher Ren Miyahara from Kinki University, where manager Kimiyasu Kudo encouraged him to strive for national representation.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-26: NPB Draft: Orix Buffaloes and Chunichi Dragons meet first-round picks

Orix Buffaloes and Chunichi Dragons managers met with their first-round draft picks, Futo Kakuda and Ren Miyahara, to discuss professional goals and team expectations.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japanese-professional-baseball-draft-managers-visit-selected-players

### 2026-10-22: Futo Kakuta selected first by Orix in NPB Draft

Futo Kakuta, a pitcher from Fuji University and Hirosaki City, was selected by the Orix Buffaloes as a first-round pick in the NPB draft.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/futo-kakuta-selected-first-by-orix-in-npb-draft

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Cite as: NPB professional baseball draft results. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/npb-professional-baseball-draft-results