The DeNA BayStars and SoftBank Hawks officially announced on the 12th that a trade has been finalized, sending DeNA catcher Yudai Yamamoto (27) to SoftBank in exchange for pitcher Takuto Ogata (26) and infielder Tomoya Inoue (23) in a one-for-two deal.
Yamamoto was drafted by DeNA in the ninth round of the 2018 draft from Shiga, an independent league team. He became the team’s primary catcher and posted a batting average of .227 with one home run and eight RBIs over 28 games this season.
Ogata, a right-handed reliever, was selected by SoftBank in the first round of the developmental draft in 2018 from Fukushima’s Gakushu Ishikawa High School. He signed a standard contract in 2020 and has a career record of 4 wins, 4 losses, and a 4.00 ERA in 90 appearances.
Inoue, a right-handed infielder, was the Hawks’ first-round pick in the 2021 draft from Saitama’s Hanasaki Tokuharu High School. He has appeared in just 28 career games.
