2023 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC™ Samurai Japan Players Scheduled to be Registered | Top | Player Announcement

We are pleased to inform you of the players scheduled to be registered for the Japanese national team “SAMURAI JAPAN”, which is scheduled to participate in the “2023 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC™” to be held in March 2023. The final line-up for each team competing in the tournament will be announced on February 9th.

Registered player

pitcher

catcher

infielder

Outfielder

Comments from players

Excludes 12 pre-announced players and Nootvar

Hiroki Matsui

“I always wanted to be on the Japanese national team, so I am proud and happy to be able to carry the Hinomaru on my shoulders once again. For that reason, I would like to prepare well for the actual event so that I can be 100% ready when I go up to the mound.”

crowd of players

“I am proud to be able to wear the uniform of the Japan national team and compete.

Taikai Ito

“I was preparing to become a member of the WBC, so I am very happy and honored to hear from Coach Kuriyama. This is a tournament that I have been aiming for since I was little, so to become the best in the world, I need the power of the team. I want to be a versatile pitcher who can throw in any situation, a pitcher who is easy to use in a pull pen.There will be a lot of members, but I will fight with my own personality at full throttle so that I will not lose.”

Ryoji Kuribayashi

“I am very honored and happy to be selected for the Japan national team. On the other hand, there are a lot of wonderful players, so I feel very uneasy right now.

Kyomi Yuasa

“I am very honored to be selected. I am truly happy to be able to stand on the WBC stage as a member of SAMURAI JAPAN. “I will do my best to contribute to

Yuki Udagawa

“I was really surprised to be selected as a member, and at the same time I am very happy. I think the top team is a very high level, but I will do my best to be able to compete with my strengths in straights and forks. I will prepare myself and do my best to contribute to the team’s victory.”

Hiroto Takahashi

“I am truly honored to have been selected. I would like to thank Director Kuriyama and everyone who was involved in the selection.The stage was one of my goals, so I will do my best in any situation so that I can contribute to being the best in the world. I also want to learn a lot from my seniors and make use of them in my future baseball career.”

Daiya Miyagi

“I am very honored and very happy to be selected as a member of Samurai Japan. Although there is pressure as a member of the Japanese national team, I will prepare myself so that I can pitch well and contribute to the victory of the team. I would like to do my best.”

Keiji Takahashi

“I am very honored to be selected as a member of the national team. Thank you. Thank you for your support.”

Takuzo Oshiro

“I am truly honored to have been selected. To be honest, I was surprised when I received this offer, but now I feel a sense of humility.

Yuhei Nakamura

“Thank you for choosing me as a member of the national team. I will do my best to play the ideal baseball that Samurai Japan Manager Kuriyama has and aim to be the best in the world to live up to his expectations.”

Tetsuto Yamada

“I am very honored to be selected as a member of the national team. Thank you very much.

Takumu Nakano

“I am truly honored to have been selected as a member of Samurai Japan. I think speed is what is required of me, so I will show my strengths for Japan and fight with a strong will. To go”

Kazuma Okamoto

“I am very honored to be selected. Playing in the WBC has always been a goal of mine. I am proud to be able to wear the uniform of the national team and compete alongside all the wonderful players. I will do my best to play with all my strength for everyone’s sake.”

Hodaka Yamakawa

“I am honored to be selected as a member of the national team. Ever since I started playing baseball at the age of 10, I have longed for the Japan national team.

Yukyo Shuto

“I am really happy to be selected. I think that what is needed is the “legs”, so I would like to run and protect them with those weapons and want to contribute even a little to the team becoming the best in the world. So far, I have prepared well for the fight. I will do my best to respond to Director Kuriyama’s wishes.”

Masanao Yoshida

“It was my dream to challenge the majors and participate in the WBC. I am very grateful to the team that allowed me to participate. ”