2026 Baseball Draft: Top Pitcher Prospects

Let’s make predictions about the draft picks for notable adult baseball pitchers in 2026.

Top draft prospects for adult pitchers

As a top candidate in January last yearHayato FujiPitcher (Nippon Express),Goto ReihisaPitcher (Toyota Motors),Shinya EndoPitcher (Nippon Shinyaku) was listed, but the result was a tough one, with pitcher Fuji being nominated in fifth place by Chiba Lotte, and pitchers Goto and Endo not being nominated.

This year’s top draft picks at this point are:Arata HiguchiPitcher only. As a left-handed pitcher, his fastball feels really fast, and he is the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Giants draft.Kazuyuki TakemaruHe has a more dynamic arm than a pitcher and was a highlight of the 2024 draft.Yumeto KanamaruFeels like a pitcher. However, he still has some issues with his ball control, and if he improves on these, he will probably be drafted as the No. 1 pick in the draft. He is a player to look forward to as both a starter and a reliever.

Other pitchers likely to be drafted

Since I haven’t narrowed it down yet, I have listed many potential pitchers, but the ones that seem most likely are:Kentaro Umedapitcher. Since his days at Rissho University, his body seems to have gotten stronger, and his balls have also gotten stronger, and he can hit the 150km range without using much force. A full-fledged right-hander with good ball control and angles.

Panasonic’sKakimoto MakiyaAlthough there are circumstances surrounding the pitcher and the suspension of the club, he showed a lot of pitching at last year’s Japan Championship. Although he has issues with ball control and pitching low, he is a pitcher we would like to acquire as a material type. Tokyo Gas’sShimizu KazumaThe pitcher is also 183cm tall, hits a pitch of 150km with a good angle, and can hit with a slider. I’ve been attracting attention since my high school days.Yudai MorihataThe pitcher also has good rotation even at mid-140km/h, and his ball speed reaches up to 149km/h.

Nippon Express’sRikito ShimizuIn the practice game against Yokohama DeNA before the CS held last fall, the pitcher showed a sense of stability as he pitched with fastballs and breaking balls against the mainstay of the first team. Hitachi’sDaichi MiyashitaPitchers are attracted to the power of the ball, which they feel is greater than the speed of the ball, and there are many pitches that are high pitched, so they want to increase the percentage of pitches that are low pitched. Mitsubishi Motors OkazakiKiyokawa TaigaThe pitcher’s ball speed is in the mid-140km/h range, but he has a fastball with an extended pitch and a fork pitcher with a large drop.Kendai NaganoThe pitcher’s ball speed is in the mid-140km/h range, but he hits a fastball with good rotation and a good angle. I want to improve my breaking balls.

Nippon Steel SetouchiShoji ShimodoFor pitchers, it’s interesting to watch a ball that moves 152 km. I want to widen the range of my pitches because my timing can lead to out-long hits. Nippon Steel YamaguchiAoi YamakuAs for the pitcher, his fastball is in the low 140 km/h range and has a low rotational speed, making it difficult to match due to the drop of the fork.

When he was at Hokkai High School, he threw a fastball of 140km/h.Cometo OkadaPitcher (Nippon Steel Muroran Sharks), also pitched well as a member of the Samurai Japan U18 team at Tokushima Sho.Mori HuangchengPitcher (NTT East), pitcher at Tohoku High School who was tall and pitched in the middle range at 140 km.hubbs big riseThe trio of pitchers (ENEOS), who are in their third year of high school, are also something to look forward to. Pitcher Mori has experienced the big stage by pitching one inning in the Japan Championship, and pitcher Okada has pitched quite a bit since his first year as a reliever.

Hokkaido GasKitajima KotaPitcher, Tokyo GasKosuke MatsuzakiPitcher, ToshibaYoshikaku ShoeiPitcher, ENEOSTento Iwaiwith pitcherNagaya completionA pitcher’s ability has already been evaluated during his college days, and if he performs well, he will become a draft candidate. Also, Toshiba’sShungo AsanoThe pitcher threw a ball with more extension than ace pitcher Sasamori,Shinma KawaiThe pitcher also threw a fastball.

Honda Suzuka, who attracted attention as a draft candidate last year.Tsugutaka KawaharaPitcher, Nippon Life Insurance CompanyHiroki TaniwakiPitcher, Osaka GasYuki HonmaPitcher, NTT EastDaiki TerashimaPitchers and other players were mentioned as potential players just before the draft. Pitcher Kawahara is in his fourth year of work after graduating from high school, and he wants to appeal to pitchers who are in the same grade as fourth-year college players. Pitcher Terashima also doesn’t want to lose to a pitcher who is in his first year as a high school graduate and a university graduate as a working adult.

Toyota Motor Corporation had a rough year last year.Goto ReihisaPitcher and Nippon ShinyakuShinya EndoThe pitcher will also make a comeback this year, and if he can continue pitching well throughout the season, he will be in the spotlight.

Prediction of nomination order

Let’s compare him to adult pitchers nominated in 2025 and predict his pick order. (NPB farm also included)