From high school obscurity to KBO saves leader, then a SoftBank development player: A 26-year-old Japanese independent league pitcher’s turnaround story — “Right now, I am only thinking about KT and the Korean Series”

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

A dream that remained out of reach after three years in Japan’s independent leagues has moved one step closer to reality in Korea. Kouki Sugimoto (26, KT Wiz), who won the saves title in his first year in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, has written a turnaround scenario by being selected in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) rookie draft.

Sugimoto was selected as the third-pick development player by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the 2026 NPB rookie draft held in Tokyo, Japan, on the 22nd.

The player himself could not hide his joy at finally achieving his dream. Immediately after the draft, Sugimoto posted on his personal social media account in both Korean and Japanese: “I was selected by SoftBank in the NPB rookie draft held today (the 22nd). I am truly happy, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone in Japan and Korea who has supported and cheered for me until now.”

This selection is particularly special for Sugimoto. Born in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, he participated in the Koshien tournament in the summers of 2017 and 2018 while attending Ogaki Nihon Dai High School. He then went on to Nihon University before joining the Tokushima Indigo Socks of the Shikoku Island League Plus independent league in 2023. However, he was not selected by any NPB team. While honing his skills over three seasons in the independent leagues, the Asian quota system, introduced for the first time in the KBO League in 2026, became a new opportunity.

KT signed Sugimoto last November for a total of $120,000 (contract value of 160 million won). He was evaluated as a right-handed pitcher equipped with a fastball reaching up to 154 km/h, along with a slider and forkball. His first professional stage was by no means easy. Sugimoto struggled in May with an ERA of 8.68 over 11 games and was sent down to the Futures League. At one point, even the possibility of his replacement was discussed.

However, KT did not give up easily. Manager Lee Kang-cheol (60), pitching coach Je Cheon-mo (44), and the data department worked together to modify Sugimoto’s pitching mechanics. By changing his position on the pitcher's mound and utilizing a set position instead of a windup, his fastball spin rate increased from the 1900 rpm range to the 2400th rpm range.

The support from KT’s players was also significant. Sugimoto mingled with Woo Kyu-min (41), Jeon Yong-ju (26), and Son Dong-hyun (25) without any sense of distance as a Japanese foreign player. When he secured his first win in the KBO last July, Woo Kyu-min was the first to congratulate him, and Caleb Boswell (27) even provided a commemorative ball. Sugimoto previously expressed his gratitude to StarNews, saying, “I had some concerns about the senior-junior culture in Korean baseball, but the seniors actually took great care of me.”

After completing his adaptation, Sugimoto recorded an ERA of 1.38 in 13 games in July and established himself as a key pillar of the reliable bullpen, leading into Park Young-hyun (23). He also contributed to KT’s ability to overcome fierce competition for the top spot in the second half.

His final statistics were 73 games, 1 win, 2 losses, 25 saves, an ERA of 5.90, and 69 strikeouts over 71⅔ innings. While his ERA was disappointing, he appeared in the third-most games in the league and served as a stepping stone to victory in the eighth inning. He became the first Asian quota player to win an individual title, and KT achieved its first regular season championship in five years with a record of 90 wins, 5 draws, and 49 losses.

His success in Korea was also known back home. The Japanese media outlet Sports Hochi reported on the 22nd that “SoftBank has swiftly selected a Korean professional baseball title holder,” highlighting Sugimoto’s rise to saves leader and his powerful fastball reaching up to 154 km/h.

However, his joining of SoftBank is not yet confirmed. A development player selection means acquiring contract negotiation rights; to appear in first-division games as a regular player, he must go through the process of being registered as a controlled player in the future.

According to NPB regulations regarding development players, the minimum annual salary for a development player is 2.4 million yen (approximately 20 million won), and the typical annual salary received by rookie development players is 3 million yen (approximately 25 million won). Like the KBO League, NPB also requires development players to go through a conversion process to regular players before they can appear in official first-division games.

Furthermore, SoftBank selected only 15 development players this year. Even if Sugimoto chooses to return to Japan, fierce competition awaits him. Discussions regarding the settlement of his contract relationship with KT and his future whereabouts are also necessary.

For now, Sugimoto’s focus is on the Korean Series starting on November 2. Sugimoto stated, “Right now, as a member of the KT Wiz, I want to do my best for the KBO Korean Series championship. Please continue to support me unchanged in the future.”

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original