'Former Japanese amateur player' Lotte, believing in miracles, vows to "change the team's negative atmosphere": The 'Korean dream' of a 153 km/h pitcher

*This content was translated by AI.

The professional stage was a dream. After playing amateur and social baseball in Japan and Taiwan, he was able to realize his dream of becoming a professional in Korea. The 26-year-old Japanese youth feels only one thing: he must do whatever it takes to help the struggling Lotte Giants.

Shota Iimura (26) has joined Lotte. On the 18th, Lotte officially announced, "To strengthen the team's pitching staff, we have signed Japanese right-handed pitcher Shota Iimura as an Asian quota player." The contract terms total $70,000 (approximately 107 million won).

The previous Asian quota pitcher, Masaya Koyama, failed to make a smooth start with 0 wins, 1 loss, and 1 hold in 10 games, posting an ERA of 7.59, so Lotte chose Iimura as the new pitcher.

Although he has not yet resolved his visa issues, Iimura visited Incheon SSG Landers Field today to greet the Lotte players and is expected to contribute from the bullpen rather than as a starter.

A right-handed traditional pitcher with a solid build of 184 cm and 86 kg, Iimura possesses a fastball reaching up to 153 km/h, along with a slider, splitter, and sinker.

After playing for KMG Holdings in Japanese amateur (social) baseball and continuing his challenge at Taiwan Life in Taiwanese amateur baseball, Iimura recorded an overwhelming ERA of 0.93 over 29 innings in this year's Taiwan Spring League, ranking first in the category and catching Lotte's attention.

Meeting reporters ahead of the SSG Landers game on the 18th, Iimura stated, "I felt that Lotte wanted me more, so I chose this team," and revealed that he finalized the contract quickly without closely examining the contract size. This was a debut on the professional stage he had longed for, and since Lotte approached him actively, he had no reason to refuse.

He played as an infielder until his second year of high school before fully transitioning to a pitcher after the summer Koshien tournament. His initial pitch speed was in the 130th km/h range, but it rose sharply, and according to the team, he can now throw up to 153 km/h.

Consistent with the team's explanation, Iimura, who was throwing in the low 150s km/h range until last week, said, "I think increasing my weight training volume helped increase my pitch speed." He cited the sinker as his most confident pitch. As a pitch that effectively induces weak contact, it is expected to be utilized in the bullpen, generating further anticipation.

It is still difficult to be certain. He has no professional experience whatsoever and has never taken the mound in front of a large crowd. Kim Tae-hyung, the pitching coach, cautiously noted, "Everyone says it looks good when they watch; the real issue is how much they can deliver."

Nevertheless, Iimura expressed confidence, saying, "I haven't pitched in games with large crowds, so I'm not sure, but I feel I am the type who can enjoy it," and introduced himself as "a pitcher who can secure strikes with any pitch and can win with any pitch." Given that Lotte has struggled with many walks, if Iimura can translate his confidence into results, he is expected to be a great asset to the Lotte bullpen.

Hyun Do-hoon and Kim Kang-hyun have been performing the role of the winning trio in front of Choi Jun-yong, but for a turnaround, a rebound from Kim Won-joong and Jeong Cheol-won is urgently needed. However, in a situation where it is unknown how much longer it will take to return to normal, if Iimura secures a spot, it could provide more breathing room.

Iimura also has only one thought: to play for his first professional team, Lotte. Iimura left a firm resolve, saying, "Since the team is in a bad situation, I want to come up to the first division quickly and pitch to change that atmosphere."

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*This content was translated by AI.