For sports fans, rookies hold a special place.What kind of achievements will they make from now on?From that starting point, we can support for a long and profound journey.Seiya Ohuchi, a pitcher from Miyagi Prefecture, made his professional debut last year with the Rakuten Eagles, a team he has admired since he was a child.Born in 2006, with the young age and a tall stature of 191cm.The future is infinitely expansive.

Pitcher Ohuchi joined the Rakuten Eagles as the 7th pick in the 2023 draft.Although he had no experience participating in the Koshien (Japanese High School Baseball Championship) and his rapid growth only began when he was a third-year high school student, he still managed to draw the door to his dreams closer.Although still slender and in the process of growing, the sensitivity of his fingertips is exceptional. His ability to control curveballs and other aspects are highly evaluated for his future potential.

——You’ve started your life as a professional Baseball player. Has anything changed since you became a professional Baseball player?

The consciousness of my seniors was incredibly high, which influenced me to also have high motivation.I genuinely feel that the presence and advice of my seniors have a very positive influence on me.

——In what specific aspects do you feel the heightened awareness?

It’s about how to use the body and training methods, etc.There are often times when I receive advice.They are considerate about meals and drinks, and they are teaching me various things.I feel it’s a good environment as there is a lot of information that I didn’t know before.

——It seems that pitcher Ohuchi is from Miyagi Prefecture and has been a fan of Rakuten Eagles since his childhood.How do you feel about being able to join your local team?

I feel amazed that players I’ve been watching on TV and at stadiums are close to me, and that I’m in a position to be their teammate.Pitchers like Takayuki Kishi and Wataru Karashima have been throwing since I was in elementary school, and they are still active.I was excited when we first met.

—What kind of goals are you envisioning at the moment?

Firstly, it’s about gaining weight, strengthening your body, and being able to throw a ball with increased force.I want to gain match experience and be able to pitch in the first team as soon as possible.I aspire to become a pitcher who can perform as a representative of Japan in the future.

——Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I want to grow to the point where I can pitch as a main force for the team from the start.I am also committed to increasing my pitching speed, so I will continue to train more.First, aim to be able to pitch a ball at around 150 kilometers per hour. The big goal is to aim for 160 kilometers.

——For children who aspire to be professional baseball players like pitcher Ohuchi until last year, what would you like to convey?

Until the end of my second year of high school, I was not a prominent player, but rather the second or third best on the team.However, since I was able to go pro towards the end, I want you to never give up on your potential and keep striving.

——What was the catalyst for such growth?

Until then, I didn’t have confidence because the speed of the ball wasn’t quite there.However, as my form began to solidify, I gradually started to throw faster from around the fall of my second year, and I became confident enough to throw in matches.I feel that gaining confidence has led to results, so I think it is important to work hard enough to build confidence.

——You hope those who haven’t seen results yet won’t give up and will continue to try their best.

Yes.However, instead of blindly working hard, I hope you will try to imitate various people and explore what kind of methods suit you.There’s a lot of information available now.It’s also important to research and try things out.

——Rakuten Group has the slogan  “Powered by Sports. Playing for All”.What does Pitcher Ohuchi think is necessary to create a better future through sports?

Since I was a child, I played not only Baseball but also various other sports in the park.However, there seems to be fewer parks where you can play baseball or ball games nowadays, right?I feel that with the increase in available places to play, the number of participants in all kinds of sports and the number of players who will carry the next generation are likely to increase.I hope that such environments will increase, and I want to continue doing what I can do, like broadcasting in this way.

Pitcher Ohuchi, who is striving to lay the foundation of his career as a professional baseball player, is working hard to achieve big goals in his admired team.Turning past experiences into confidence, one cannot help but expect the continued growth and strong performance of the right arm.The baseball of the Rakuten Eagles in Tohoku is going to become even more interesting.

INTERVIEW&TEXT: Chiharu Abe
PHOTO: Toshiyuki Koizumi
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS), Shiori Saeki (IN FOCUS)