Sports · Baseball · 4 hrs ago
Rakuten drafts Japan pitcher Shin Higuchi after Asian Games performance
Rakuten Golden Eagles drafted Japanese pitcher Shin Higuchi in the third round of Japan's professional baseball draft.
Higuchi had been playing for Oji, a company-based baseball team, rather than a professional club.
At the Asian Games, he held South Korea scoreless for seven innings in a Super Round game, allowing four hits as Japan won 5-0.
South Korea's team was made up entirely of professional players, making the defeat a major setback for the team.
South Korea later beat Japan 3-1 in the final to win its fifth straight Asian Games baseball title.
Higuchi says he wants to stay in the top team all year and become a player his new club can rely on.
Rakuten Golden Eagles selected Japanese pitcher Shin Higuchi in the third round of the 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.
Higuchi drew attention at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where he pitched seven scoreless innings against South Korea in the Super Round.
Rakuten picked Higuchi 36th overall to strengthen its pitching staff.
Higuchi also started Japan’s final against South Korea, allowing one run in three innings.
He said his goal is to stay in the top team for a full season and become a player the club can rely on.
- Who
- Rakuten Golden Eagles selected Shin Higuchi, a pitcher for company team Oji.
- What
- Higuchi was chosen in the third round of the 2026 NPB draft, 36th overall.
- When
- Rakuten made the selection on October 22, 2026.
- Where
- Japan. The draft was the Nippon Professional Baseball rookie draft.
- Why
- Rakuten selected him to strengthen its pitching staff. His performances at the Asian Games included seven scoreless innings against South Korea.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Higuchi pitched seven scoreless innings against South Korea in the Asian Games Super Round, helping Japan win 5-0.
Higuchi started the Asian Games final against South Korea and allowed one run in three innings.
Rakuten selected Higuchi 36th overall in the third round of the NPB draft.
- Draft position
- Third round, 36th overall
- Drafting team
- Rakuten Golden Eagles
- Asian Games Super Round
- Seven innings, four hits and no runs allowed against South Korea
- Final against South Korea
- Three innings and one run allowed
- Previous team
- Oji
3 sources
What people are saying
The goal is to stay in the top team for a full season.
I want to become a player who can carry the team in the future.