“My Goal Is to Become a 170 km/h Closer”… Former Corporate Employee Turned Major Leaguer Kippei Mikawa: “U.S. Scouts Take Notice on Social Media”

Back on the Baseball Path

“I’ve finally reached the starting line. But I’m not letting my guard down. I think the next three years will be crucial for me to make it to the majors.”

These are the determined words of pitcher Kippei Mikawa (24), who signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs by June 1.Mikawa is a former office worker who handled advertising sales at the IT company CyberAgent. Here, in his own words, is the story of his unusual journey—how he left his corporate job to pursue a shot at the majors.

“My interest in baseball was sparked by the first World Baseball Classic (March 2006). I was inspired by the performances of Ichiro and Daisuke Matsuzaka. I’ve always loved pitching. When I was in sixth grade, I made the Yomiuri Giants Junior team through tryouts, and my position was either pitcher or shortstop.”

After graduating from junior high school in his hometown of Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Mikawa went on to Kasukabe Kyoei High School, a powerhouse in Saitama Prefecture. As a promising right-hander with a top speed of 149 km/h, he knocked on the door of the Rikkyo University baseball team.

“Because I was nearly 190 cm tall and could throw the ball faster than most, people kept telling me from the start that I had ‘great potential.’ At Rikkyo, my fastball even exceeded 150 km/h, and I was thinking about turning pro in the future.
“But I didn’t know how to put that talent to use in games… I was so fixated on throwing strikes that my form kept falling apart. I developed a habit of trying to place the ball exactly where I wanted it, and I completely lost sight of the correct way to throw.”

My final appearance in college was against the University of Tokyo in the Tokyo Six Universities Autumn League during my senior year. But Mikawa gave up five runs without recording a single out. My career stats at Rikkyo ended with a 40.50 ERA over three games.

“I’m not the type to get too down, but I really felt ‘sorry’ toward the team, and it was frustrating. On the other hand, I also felt a sense of relief. I thought, ‘This is the end of baseball for me. If turning pro isn’t possible, I’ll just give it up.’”

The Fateful LINE Message

After stepping away from baseball, Mikawa began his job search. He received a job offer from CyberAgent (hereinafter “Cyber”). At the company, he is in charge of selling commercial slots on the internet TV service “ABEMA” to clients.

“During my senior year of college, I was appointed pitching captain, and I worked with the coaches to develop training regimens based on game data. I loved analysis. At Cyber, I also made proposals to clients based on data, explaining, ‘If you advertise your product, you’ll see these results.’ The work was interesting and suited me well.”

At Cyber, I frequently had opportunities to present my career vision.

“I was at a loss. I enjoyed my work and was blessed with great colleagues, but I couldn’t think of any goals for myself as a working professional. One day, I decided, ‘I’m going to think this through until I figure out what I really want to do,’ so I stayed alone at a ryokan in Atami (Shizuoka Prefecture).I shut myself in my room and just wrote down my life story in a notebook… That’s when I realized, once again, that baseball was the only thing for me. But I’d never heard of an ordinary office worker turning pro. I couldn’t see a path forward, and I felt really unsettled.”

Just then—I received a LINE message asking, “How have you been since then?”It was from Yusuke Kitagawa, the head of “DIMENSIONING” (hereinafter “DIME”), a baseball-specialized gym where I’d trained during my college days. It was November 2025, a little over half a year after I’d joined Cyber. Mr. Kitagawa recalls:

“After the fall league season of his senior year, he dutifully came to say goodbye. At that time, he muttered, ‘I might want to play baseball again someday.’ So I thought, ‘It might be about time,’ and decided to reach out.
That was the start of his comeback. He has long arms and a physique that allows him to generate fast pitches easily. He’s a quick learner, no matter what I teach him. Since becoming a working professional, he’s also developed the ability to think logically. I felt that if he achieved his goals one by one, he could take on the challenge of the majors.”

Let’s return to Mikawa’s remarks.

“Mr. Kitagawa’s message was the catalyst. When I actually pitched seriously in ‘DIME’ for the first time in a while, I hit about 147 km/h. I felt a sense of confidence that if I gave it another shot, I could aim for the ‘top.’
“Actually, even after joining the corporate world, I’d wake up at 5:00 a.m. every morning and do about an hour and a half of weight training. My goal was to stay in good physical condition for work, but I suppose that ended up being beneficial. I’ve gained 6 to 7 kg since my college days, but it’s all muscle. I’ve become physically stronger and have learned to use my body more effectively.”

Back in college, Mikawa was probably like a car with a powerful engine but a fragile body. As his muscle strength improved, he finally acquired a physique that matched his engine.

A Pitch That’s Taking Shape

“Encouraged by Mr. Kitagawa’s words—‘If it’s Yoshihira, he can make it to the majors’—I decided to return to baseball. However, it wouldn’t have been right to quit Cyber, the company that had taken such good care of me, right away. Since I had to hand over my responsibilities, I didn’t leave the company until this past March.”

Mikawa signed with *DIME* and, with the support of medical trainers and other experts, resumed full-scale training.

“My training isn’t one-size-fits-all. I measure my body fat percentage and muscle mass each day to ensure I’m doing the optimal workout. Furthermore, I quantify everything—pitch speed, spin rate, and release point. Mr. Kitagawa and I review video footage frame by frame to identify areas for improvement. Thanks to this, my pitch speed has increased to 155.7 km/h.”

Mr. Kitagawa is known as a renowned trainer who has coached players such as Shota Imanaga of the Cubs, Kosei Shoji of the Rakuten Eagles, and Haruki Hosono of the Nippon Ham Fighters.

“‘DIME’ shared my information with Major League officials via social media. As a result, my training videos and TrackMan data—which precisely measures the ball’s trajectory and spin rate—caught the attention of Cubs scouts.
After a remote interview, four or five people—including Cubs scouts and team executives—came to Japan to watch me pitch in person and hold discussions. They explained my areas for improvement and my development plan, addressing questions like, ‘What aspects do you value?’ and ‘What do I need to work on to make it to the majors?’“I was able to visualize a concrete path for my next step. I was convinced by what they had to say, which led to this contract. The real challenge starts now.”

Mikawa has big dreams.

“My goal was 160 km/h, but since I’ve already surpassed 155 km/h, I’m aiming even higher. My goal is to pitch in the World Series as a closer throwing 170 km/h.”

The dream challenge of the “former office worker turned Major Leaguer” has only just begun.

From the July 10, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*