[Full Text] A Promising Young Lion! Lions’ Hibiki Shinohara: “I Want to Perform Well Enough to Be Featured in the Baseball Game ‘Prospi’”

Rapid Growth That Even Surprises Him

“I haven’t gained that much weight compared to last year, and I’ve only made a slight adjustment to how I lift my leg in my pitching form… To be honest, 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 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 top 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 achieve it.

“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 off-season training for pitchers as just running drills, but for us, it was mainly core training and pitching practice using data.”

Daru’s signature two-seam fastball, too

Taira, known as one of the most theory-oriented players in the league, holds off-season training sessions that attract not only players but also trainers and baseball analysts. It was there that he acquired a powerful new weapon.

“I learned how to throw a changeup with my middle finger extended—the so-called ‘kick changeup.’ 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.’ My fastball velocity has also increased, so I think the difference in speed and drop on the changeup will be even more effective now.

Also, Mr. Hirara advised me that ‘when throwing, it’s best for the pelvis to rotate first, followed by the torso.’ 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 making it a habit.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 your energy into your index finger at the moment of release,’ 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 starting games will become much easier for me in the future.”

This promising talent, who has caught the eye of two world-class pitchers, is still only 19 years old. When he steps off the mound, his true self—still retaining a touch of boyish innocence—shines through.

“I get really excited on days when ‘tsukemen’ is on the dorm menu. It’s really high quality. In my free time, I play the baseball game ‘Pro Yakyu Spirits A’ on my smartphone. I’ve put together a lineup with my Seibu teammates, and Mr. Taira is super strong (laughs).I want to perform well enough to appear in ‘Pro Spirits A’ myself. Since I want to be a strong character, I need to get my stats rated higher… (laughs).
To that end, I’ve recently stopped eating snacks right before I take the mound. It’s sort of a good-luck charm—‘so I don’t go easy on myself’—or rather, I’m holding back as a matter of professional discipline.”

A slender 178 cm pitcher who has never played in the Koshien Tournament, entered the pros as a late-round draft pick, and has been working full-time as a reliever since his second year. By any measure, Shinohara deserves the title of “Yoshinobu Yamamoto II,” but he himself remains level-headed.

“I’m grateful to be called that, but I don’t really think about it much. First and foremost, I believe my role is to deliver results as a reliever and lead the team to victory. Beyond that, I want to become a pitcher who can go the distance in the future. First, I want to win the Best ERA title, and as for what comes after that… I’ll think about it when the time comes (laughs).”

The day this young lion becomes a Samurai competing on the world stage may not be too far off.

From the July 31, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*