Behind the Scenes of the Fierce Junior High School Baseball Scouting Competition

Every year during the off-season for both professional and high school baseball, the Tigers Cup is held at Koshien Stadium. The Tigers Cup, which is held every year at Koshien Stadium, has another important meaning: it is a tournament to decide the number one junior high school baseball player in the Kansai region, transcending the boundaries between senior, boys and young leagues. It is the final test for the eighth graders, who will enter high school in April 2023, to appeal to the prestigious schools. Shingo Kakehi, manager of the Akashi Boys team, which advanced to the semifinals, said, “If we do well in this tournament, we will be able to make a name for ourselves in life.

If we do well in this tournament, our lives will change. We told the players that they should first aim for the Tigers Cup, which will be held in the winter of their second year of junior high school, rather than the Japan Cup in the summer of their third year.

Behind the back net, officials from prestigious schools such as Chiben Gakuen and Tokai University Sagami, as well as Koichi Nishitani, manager of Osaka Toin, and Yoshinori Sama, manager of Akashi Commercial, were all lined up and keeping a close eye on the players. The Tigers Cup was like a fair for future Koshien ballplayers.

The aforementioned Akashi Boys had a super junior high school player who attracted the most attention this year, Takusho Fukuda, who threw a straight ball in the mid 130 km range with a beautiful, habit-free form from his 181 cm height.

He said, “My max is 137 kilometers. I’d like to pursue a straight ball that floats, just like Seiji Fujikawa. As for my breaking ball, I have two types of sliders and a split that I am confident in.

Of course, he regarded this tournament as an important event that would determine his career path.

I know that the coaches are there. I know that (high school) coaches will be there, but I don’t want to be overly conscious of it, and my priority is the team. (I want to decide where I will go to school in March. I don’t know how many offers I’ve received, but I know that they’ve been coming to the field. I’d like to go to Osaka Toin or Tokai University Sagami, but Akashi Commercial is also on my list.

According to Mr. Kakehi, “I’ve been approached by most of the strong schools in the Kansai region,” and there are more than 20 of them.

As a rule of recruiting, high school officials are not allowed to contact players directly, but rather announce their intentions through the officials of the junior high school’s hardball team. From there, they can visit practices and games and look at the players with enthusiasm to move the hearts of the players and their parents. The scheme is the same as scouting in professional baseball. A coach from a high school in the Kanto region told me.

A coach of a high school in the Kanto region told me, “The so-called ‘special A’ players are selected from popular schools such as Osaka Toin and Chiben Wakayama, where there are only about 20 spots available due to the number of dormitory rooms. The next-ranked players are scattered among the strongest schools in the country, and those who are not selected further choose to study baseball in places like Tohoku and Shikoku. Unlike Osaka Toin, for example, which unconditionally offers admission when approached, other strong schools appeal to the enthusiasm of their students by offering ‘ conditions’such as special student treatment, the environment, and the ease of access to the Koshien.

In the semifinals, Kanemoto Kanta of the Seki Medi Baseball Academy Young made an extra-large arch in the light stand. Kanemoto’s muscular physique was impressive for a junior high schooler, but what surprised me was his swing speed.

It’s 149 kilos (laughs).

At the age of 14, he is already one of the fastest high school players in the world ……, and probably one of the fastest college players in the world.

In junior high school, I hit 11 home runs, all over the fence. I don’t have a specific high school I want to go to, but I want to choose a school where I can play in games. My goal is Ichiro.

A fierce battle for the Koshien and the draft is being waged in the sacred ground of the season.

From the January 7-14, 2022 issue of FRIDAY