(From left) DeNA’s Yamamoto, SoftBank’s Ogata, Inoue
A blockbuster trade was officially announced on the 12th, with DeNA’s starting catcher Yudai Yamamoto (27) moving to SoftBank in exchange for pitcher Shuto Ogata (26) and infielder Tomoya Inoue (23).
Yamamoto, a product of Kyoto Shoei High School and the BC League’s Shiga team, was drafted by DeNA in the ninth round of the 2017 draft. Now in his ninth professional season, he has become a star catcher, earning both a Best Nine award and a Golden Glove. Last season, he played a key role in helping ace pitcher Kyohei Otake secure the most wins in the league. Known for his strong leadership, Yamamoto often served as the organizer for gatherings among his 1998-born teammates, including Keita Sano and Katsuki Irie, earning high praise for his character.
Ogata, who joined SoftBank as the first pick in the 2017 developmental draft from Gakko Ishikawa High School, is also in his ninth professional year. He is widely recognized for his powerful fastball. Inoue, a first-round draft pick for SoftBank in 2020 out of Hanasaki Tokuharu High School, is a right-handed hitter with immense potential.
**Player Profiles:**
– **Yudai Yamamoto** (born September 11, 1998, in Osaka City, 27 years old). Played in the summer Koshien tournament during his third year at Kyoto Shoei High School. After playing for BC Shiga, he was drafted by DeNA in the ninth round of the 2017 draft. In 2021, he appeared in 51 games. In 2024, he played 108 games, becoming the first player from an independent league to win a Golden Glove Award. He also earned a Best Nine award that same year. Over his professional career, he has appeared in 396 games, batting .256 with 14 home runs and 111 RBIs. He stands 180 cm tall, weighs 87 kg, throws right, and bats right. His annual salary is 73 million yen.
– **Tomoya Inoue** (born January 28, 2003, in Shijonawate City, Osaka, 23 years old). Played for Ikoma Boys in junior high and was selected for the Boys Japan national team in his third year. At Hanasaki Tokuharu High School (Saitama), he played in the summer Koshien in his first and second years, as well as a Koshien exchange game in his third year. He hit a total of 50 home runs in high school. Drafted first overall by SoftBank in 2020, he made his first-team debut in 2023, hitting his first career home run the same year. Over his professional career, he has appeared in 28 games, batting .181 with 1 home run and 4 RBIs. He stands 182 cm tall, weighs 91 kg, throws right, and bats right. His annual salary is 9.3 million yen.
– **Shuto Ogata** (born May 15, 1999, in Miyagi Prefecture, 26 years old). Joined SoftBank as the first pick in the 2017 developmental draft from Gakko Ishikawa High School. He was registered as a regular player in March 2020. Last year, he made a career-high 38 appearances, recording 1 win, 1 loss, 5 holds, and a 4.67 ERA. This season, he has appeared in 10 games. He stands 182 cm tall, weighs 90 kg, throws right, and bats left. His annual salary is 27 million yen.
