“I was surprised myself…” Seibu’s Hibiki Shinohara Shares Insights Gained from “Voluntary Training with Kaima Taira” and “Lessons from Yu Darvish”

Coaching from a World-Class Pitcher

“I haven’t gained that much weight compared to last year, and as for my form, I’ve only changed the way I lift my leg a little… Honestly, I’m actually surprised myself that I’ve achieved these results.”

Behind the shy smile of the 19-year-old, a sense of genuine confidence was evident. Hibiki Shinohara of the Saitama Seibu Lions recorded a top pitch speed of 148 km/h during his time at Fukui Institute of Technology Fukui High School.In today’s high school baseball, where even high schoolers throw fastballs nearing 160 km/h, that figure wasn’t particularly outstanding; rather, he was selected as the fifth overall pick in the draft primarily for his precise control.

However, in just over a year since turning pro, this young Lion has developed into a powerhouse pitcher capable of reaching a maximum speed of 158 km/h, becoming the first player since the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto (27) to record “20 holds in his second year out of high school.”As the ace reliever, he has been the driving force behind the team’s surge. He says even he doesn’t know the reason for such a dramatic transformation. However, he spared no effort to make it happen.

“What I keenly realized during my rookie season last year was that I completely lacked the stamina to last the entire season. That frustrated me, and driven by a single-minded desire to grow more and take my pitching to the next level, I volunteered to join Kaima Taira (26) for his off-season training.I think people tend to imagine a pitcher’s offseason as being all about running drills, but his program focused mainly on core training and pitching practice using data.”

Taira, known as one of the most theory-driven pitchers in the league, hosts off-season training sessions attended not only by players but also by trainers and baseball analysts. It was there that I acquired a powerful new weapon.

“I learned how to throw a changeup with my middle finger extended—the so-called ‘kick change.’ It’s a pitch Hirara doesn’t use himself, but after he taught me the technique and an expert analyzed the data, they said, ‘You can definitely use this in actual games.’ Since my fastball velocity has also increased, I think the difference in speed and drop on the changeup will be even more effective.

Also, Mr. Taira advised me that ‘when throwing, it’s best for the pelvis to rotate first, followed by the core.’ When I watched the footage, it seemed I’d actually been doing that since last year, but there’s a difference in consistency between simply not knowing something and understanding it intellectually and then consistently applying it.I think the reason I haven’t lost my signature control—even as my velocity has risen sharply—is that my mechanics are working well.”

In February, while participating as a support member at the Samurai Japan training camp, he also received guidance from Yu Darvish (39).

“He taught me how to throw a two-seam fastball. The grip itself is standard, but when he told me, ‘Put energy into your index finger when you release the ball,’ I started paying much more attention to that. If I can master the kick changeup and the two-seam fastball in addition to the slider I’ve been throwing all along, I think it’ll make it easier for me to pitch as a starter in the future.”

The July 31 issue of *FRIDAY*, on sale July 16, and the paid version *FRIDAY GOLD* delve into the true personality of 19-year-old Hibiki Shinohara, who has stepped down from the mound.

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From the July 31, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*