[Breaking News] 'KBO Saves Champion' KT Sugimoto, Sudden Draft Selection in Japan! Called Up as SoftBank's Third-Choice Development Prospect

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Sugimoto Kouki (26), a key member of KT Wiz's bullpen who dominated the KBO League to secure the 'Saves Champion' title, has received a call from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

According to Japanese media such as Sports Hochi, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks suddenly selected KT Wiz right-handed pitcher Sugimoto as their third-choice development prospect at the 2026 NPB Rookie Draft meeting held on the afternoon of the 22nd.

Sugimoto is a former promising player who played for the prestigious Ogaki Nihon High School, appearing in the Koshien main tournament stage in consecutive summers in 2017 and 2018. After attending Nihon University, he honed his skills over three seasons with Tokushima Indigo Socks in the Shikoku Island League Plus, a Japanese independent league.

Subsequently, Sugimoto donned the KT Wiz uniform of the KBO League through the Asia Quota system and instantly transformed into one of the league's top-tier setup men. He firmly locked down the back end of the game with a heavy fastball reaching a maximum speed of 154 km/h and a sharp cutter that cuts in.

Sugimoto quietly fulfilled his role throughout the team's regular season championship run. When Sugimoto met at Gocheok Sky Dome in early October, he stated, "I don't really think I will be drafted in the NPB draft," emphasizing a team-first spirit by adding, "First and foremost, KT winning the Korea Series is the priority."

At the same time, he had also revealed a healthy desire for individual titles, saying, "Since the team won, I'm going to aim for the Saves Champion title as well." Ultimately, in his first season after transferring, Sugimoto appeared in 73 regular season games with KT this season, recording 1 win, 2 losses, and 25 saves, firmly rising to the top of the KBO saves category and turning his words into reality. His ERA was somewhat high at 5.90, but he still secured the Saves Champion title.

Japanese teams did not miss Sugimoto's performance, who caught both rabbits: the team's regular season championship and the individual Saves Champion title. With SoftBank, a renowned institution for its development system, calling his name, Sugimoto simultaneously achieved the dream of entering the professional stage in his home country.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original