[Toyama/Takaoka Daiichi] Yuta Maeda, a Top Draft Pick and Promising Left-Hander Who Didn’t Play in the Koshien Tournament: “I Want to See If My Fastball Can Hold Up Overseas”

An Opportunity for Growth

Yuto Maeda, the 156 km/h left-hander from Takaoka Daiichi High School (Toyama), looks up to Yugo Maeda, who is currently on a dominant streak (11 wins, 0 losses as of September 7) with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.When you hear that, it’s strange how they start to look alike—not just in their names (“Yuto” and “Yugo”), but even in their facial features.

“I admire him as a complete pitcher—from his fastball and breaking balls to all the skills required of a pitcher.”

Maeda, who is three grades his senior, was a standout from his freshman fall at Osaka Toin, but he fell into a slump during his junior year and was eliminated in the finals of his last Osaka tournament. However, as soon as he was selected for the U-18 Samurai Japan team, he led Japan to the world title at the World Cup, earned a new level of recognition, and secured the No. 1 draft pick.Maeda from Hokuriku is now set to follow the same path.

Shoki Oda of Yokohama High School, dubbed the “Reiwa Monster,” and Ryosuke Sueyoshi of Okinawa Shogaku, selected for the second consecutive year—while Maeda’s track record may fall short of theirs, he was named by Manager Ryusei Okada as a key player for Japan’s U-18 Asian Championship squad.

During training camp, Maeda confided:

“I’m actually a bit shy… But playing alongside the nation’s top-level players is a rare opportunity, and as I’ve gradually gotten used to it, I’ve become able to talk to them quite a bit. This is a chance for me to grow, and I want to test whether my signature fastball will work against international players.”

Until last summer, he was an unknown high school baseball player.

“When I first entered college, my fastball was around 130 km/h. After I started hitting 140 km/h last summer, I could feel the ball getting faster and faster, and playing baseball became more fun. If my fastball gets faster, I’ll be able to make better use of my other pitches as well.I’m small in stature (173 cm), but I’ve increased my food intake to gain weight, and I’ve been doing weight training focused on my lower body as well as a lot of running. I’ve really been making an effort to increase my speed.”

The Reason Behind His Increased Pitching Power

This unassuming young pitcher was eventually dubbed “Number One in the Hokuriku region,” and after being invited to the Japanese high school national team candidate training camp this spring, his name became known nationwide.His weight, which was 65 kg when he entered high school, increased to about 74 kg this summer, and in the second round of the Toyama Prefectural Tournament, he recorded a speed of 156 km/h—tying the all-time record for a high school left-hander.

“Just like when I first broke 150, I was surprised even to myself that I could reach 156. I think all the hard work I’ve put in, aiming for Koshien and this (the Japanese High School National Team), has finally paid off.”

However, after losing to Takaoka Commercial High School in the semifinals of the Toyama Tournament, he was ultimately unable to make it to Koshien. Even so, he remained confident he would be selected for the Japan High School National Team and spent August refining the quality of his fastball.

“It’s not just about throwing a fast ball; I’ve gotten to the point where, when the team is in a pinch, I can pitch aggressively with the attitude of ‘Go ahead and hit it.’ I think it’s the ace’s role to support the team. That kind of mental growth has been significant, too.”

“How can you throw such a fastball with such a slender build?”—When asked that question early this spring, the left-hander smiled shyly and replied, “I don’t know.” But now, half a year later, Maeda says he has come to understand the mechanics behind it a little better.

“I’ve always been confident in my flexibility, but I think the fact that I’m now using my whole body effectively has contributed to the increase in my pitch velocity. In the bullpen, I focus on maintaining balance in my form and carefully checking my body movements, so I don’t throw that fast there. But when I take the mound after working on those points, I’m hitting 150.”

He says the challenge lies in the sharpness of his breaking balls—such as his slider and changeup.

“There are various things I’d like to ask my teammates on the Japanese national team—like how to grip the ball—but since I’m actually a bit shy (laughs), I try to learn by watching them. If I still don’t understand, then I’ll ask them directly. I feel like the range and quality of my breaking pitches have improved since I started focusing on keeping my arm motion consistent with my fastball.”

This year’s draft meeting is on October 22. He has already publicly announced his intention to enter the draft.

“I struggled with the decision. At first, my coach encouraged me to go to college, and I even thought to myself, ‘That might be an option.’ But some players fall apart once they get to college, and my desire to turn pro while I’m still in the spotlight won out. I want to make a name for myself on the national team, just like Maeda did during his time at Osaka Toin, and then turn pro.”

The mere fact that he can throw over 150 km/h with his left hand makes him a rare find even among professionals. By learning refined pitching techniques from the top players of his generation, Maeda is carving out his path to the pros.

From the September 25, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*