KT's Sugimoto, Japanese Return Rumors Surface: "Emerging as a Hidden Top Draft Prospect" — Another Reverse Export?

*This content was translated by AI.

A case of reverse export from Japan to Korea might emerge in the first year since the Asian quota system was introduced into the KBO League. The protagonist is KT Wiz's "Japanese national right-handed relief pitcher" Sugimoto Kouki (26). This is because Japanese media outlets are showing interest in Sugimoto.

The Japanese media outlet "Koshien Baseball Dot Com" spotlighted Sugimoto, who has delivered overwhelming pitching performances in the KBO League this season on the 5th, reporting that he "is rapidly emerging as a hidden top draft prospect for the upcoming fall NPB rookie draft." There is curiosity among local Japanese observers whether the first reverse export case leading to an NPB draft selection based on his performance in Korea will materialize.

Sugimoto, who donned the KT uniform and stepped onto the KBO League stage ahead of this season, has no prior NPB experience. He played only for Tokushima Indigo Socks, a club in Japan's independent league, from 2023 to 2025. "Koshien Baseball Dot Com" also noted that he "has established himself as the core of KT's mound with his imposing physique of 182cm and 85kg, boasting a powerful fastball reaching speeds up to 154km/h and a cut fastball that consistently exceeds the mid-140s."

The media pointed out that Sugimoto's turnaround was decisively triggered by his move to the minor league in May. According to Sugimoto, moving his pitching mound position from the first-base side to the third-base side pulled his release point forward, naturally increasing his average fastball velocity by about 2 to 3 km/h, allowing him to exceed the early 150s. Additionally, mastering a new breaking ball, the splitter, gave him firm confidence in attacking inside pitches against right-handed batters.

After refining his skills in the minor league, Sugimoto began accumulating holds from mid-June and led KT's charge for first place with overwhelming pitching stats of 1 win, 8 holds, and 19 strikeouts in 13 games played in July. His earned run average was also very stable at 1.38. He was recognized as one of the league's top-tier relief pitchers after being named a candidate for the July monthly MVP. Appearing in 51 games this season with 17 holds, he currently shares the league lead in the holds category alongside Kim Jin-sung (41·LG Twins).

In an interview with "Koshien Baseball Dot Com," Sugimoto reflected on his time with Tokushima, which served as a stepping stone for challenging overseas leagues. He stated that "the presence of Shirakawa Keisho (KIA Tigers), who played as a short-term replacement foreign player in Korea last season, was the catalyst that led him to decide to join the KBO League." He added that his three years at Tokushima, where he continued to grow amidst fierce competition, ultimately became the foundation for his success.

"Koshien Baseball Dot Com" evaluated that "since Sugimoto is almost perfectly shutting down the powerful batters of the KBO League, comparable to Japanese players, he has no lack of immediate contribution potential even in the NPB." While there have been cases of players drafted into the NPB after passing through Major League Baseball (MLB), if Sugimoto becomes the first player to be drafted into the NPB after playing in the KBO League, he would write a historic record. The date for the 2026 NPB rookie draft meeting has not yet been announced, but late October appears likely.

Despite the intense interest from those around him, Sugimoto remains calm and determined to guard the mound. He stated, "But right now, I am only thinking about contributing to KT's league championship," and added boldly, "If we achieve our goal, other results will naturally follow."

It remains to be seen whether Sugimoto, who is writing a success story with the Asian quota system and dominating the KBO League mound, can also write a historic first in NPB draft selections alongside KT's championship victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.