<figure id="attachment_459237" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459237"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d6b6105d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/ee1dfcb568427c54d37643be5b5223e9.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459237" class="wp-caption-text">Daiki Miyagi (Orix): With a three-quarter arm slot and a low release point, his fastballs to right-handed batters on the inside corner follow a crossfire trajectory.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>The lads who will lead Japan to be the best in the world</h3>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="112">FRIDAY reporters visiting the Miyazaki training camp were impressed by the dynamism of these four key players:</p>
<p data-start="114" data-end="583"><strong data-start="114" data-end="142">Daiki Miyagi (24, Orix):</strong> Miyagi first entered the Miyazaki bullpen on February 15. Each time he threw a strong pitch, he and advisor Yu Darvish checked the data displayed on a tablet. Having experienced a world championship in the previous WBC, Miyagi was identified by manager Hirokazu Ibata as a key left-handed pitcher for this tournament. After watching him pitch, Ibata praised him, saying, “His gear is up. He’s hitting the spots the catcher sets up for.”</p>
<p data-start="585" data-end="889">A three-quarter delivery allows Miyagi’s 150 km/h fastball to bite into the knees of right-handed batters, while his slider and changeup follow trajectories unfamiliar even to Major League left-handers. His slow curveball can also disrupt timing. He is expected to perform as the team’s second starter.</p>
<p data-start="891" data-end="1364"><strong data-start="891" data-end="916">Atsuki Taneichi (27):</strong> Miyagi was astonished by Taneichi when he entered the bullpen the same day. Watching Taneichi pitch, Miyagi kept checking the tablet, exclaiming, “I heard his forkball is incredible. I was looking at the numbers, and it’s insane.” The manager shares this admiration, noting the forkball’s varied drop and hinting that it could trouble Major League hitters, just as Shosei Togoh struck out Mike Trout with his forkball in the previous tournament.</p>
<p data-start="1366" data-end="1847"><strong data-start="1366" data-end="1391">Shota Morishita (25):</strong> Highlighted by former 2009 WBC chief scorer Yasuhiro Mitsui, Morishita leveraged the core strength he built with medicine ball training to hammer balls during batting practice. In the February 22 practice game, he went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and four RBIs, showing a glimpse of “awakening” on the international stage. During camp, he took grounders at left, center, and right, preparing to confidently handle any outfield position assigned to him.</p>
<p data-start="1849" data-end="2098"><strong data-start="1849" data-end="1869">Shugo Maki (27):</strong> Morishita’s senior from Chuo University, Maki, spent much of the previous tournament on the bench but will serve as the starting second baseman this time. His greatest asset is his ability to energize the team as a mood-maker.</p>
<p data-start="2100" data-end="2373"><strong data-start="2100" data-end="2125">Kenya Wakatsuki (30):</strong> The candidate for starting catcher praised Maki, noting, “He keeps the atmosphere bright and positive.” During on-field drills, Maki was the loudest in calling plays, helping to give the Samurai Japan batting lineup both momentum and confidence.</p>
<p data-start="2375" data-end="2499" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">These four players are shaping up as the key contributors in both offense and defense for Samurai Japan in the upcoming WBC.</p>
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<figure id="attachment_459239" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459239"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="d7c924c4"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/3f855c1dbd7bb3d092cc2b187e45b1d7.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459239" class="wp-caption-text"><strong data-start="0" data-end="24">Daiki Miyagi (Orix):</strong> Checked TrackMan data together with Yu Darvish. Adjusting to the reportedly slippery WBC ball poses no problems.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_459240" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459240"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="588d5d42"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/6b3704dceef675e31561776b06ccb56c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459240" class="wp-caption-text"><strong data-start="141" data-end="169">Atsuki Taneichi (Lotte):</strong> Hailed by the manager for his “magic pitches,” a potential savior for Samurai Japan’s pitching staff. While his forkball gets most of the attention, his towering 183 cm frame allows him to throw fastballs over 155 km/h with impressive downward power.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_459241" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459241"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f05afeff"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/0fff82af33f417f746333c8c13a5abfa.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459241" class="wp-caption-text"><strong data-start="424" data-end="454">Shota Morishita (Hanshin):</strong> Performs medicine ball training before batting practice. Even in Miyazaki, he is meticulous about fundamentals, leaving a strong impression.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_459242" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2947px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459242"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="8e810b87"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/a3e9684123bb435ac116d33771945178.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459242" class="wp-caption-text"><strong data-start="599" data-end="621">Shugo Maki (DeNA):</strong> Stands in the batter’s box during Samurai Japan bullpen sessions to get used to live pitching. His strengths include handling fastballs over 150 km/h and exceptional contact ability.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_459243" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1775px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459243"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e1d08f2d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/03/ccbc3e573ae2098e807dcdde5b43a5c2.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-459243" class="wp-caption-text">Maki signing autographs for fans in Miyazaki, with children playfully asking, “Maki-san, do the ‘Desutāsha’!”</figcaption></figure>
<p>From the March 13-20, 2026 issue of &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221;</p>


 Hiroyuki Komatsu

 The reporter who visited Miyazaki, the camp site of Samurai Japan, was convinced that four key players would be active in the WBC. Daiya Miyagi (Orix), Atsuki Taneichi (Lotte), Shota Morishita (Hanshin), and Shugo Maki (DeNA) are four players who could be key players in the pitching and hitting lineup!

Samurai Japan’s Key Players for Pitching and Hitting Revealed

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