Satsuma Oidon League: University & Adult Baseball – Feb 21st

• #Satsuma Oidon League

The “Satsuma Oidon League 2026,” a competition between university, adult, and professional baseball teams that have completed spring training, will begin on February 21st. On the 22nd of this month, a press conference was held in Kagoshima City, attended by coaches from universities and adult teams.

A record 63 teams participated

The Oidon League started in 2023 as an exchange game that brought together teams that held camps in Kagoshima Prefecture. It is a place for players who have just finished camp to show off their preparation for the new season, and for university students, playing against higher-ranked professionals and professional baseball teams allows them to experience a higher level of play. The number of participating teams continues to increase, with 37 teams in the first year and 42 teams in the second year.This year, it has been decided that a record 63 teams will participate, an increase of 9 teams from 2025, and several additional teams are expected to participate in the future.

In addition to hosting interleague games, the stadium is also becoming increasingly popular as a venue for baseball promotion activities. They also hold various events to convey the joy of baseball, such as inviting local children to Waseda-Keio games and holding baseball classes for adult teams. The number of locations for games is also increasing, and this year they will be held at a total of 11 baseball stadiums, including Heiwa Lease Baseball Stadium in Kagoshima City, General Sports Park Baseball Stadium in Satsumasendai City, and Beeline Sports Park Aira Baseball Stadium. As a first attempt, this time the match will also be held on a remote island.

In terms of universities, Keio University and Rikkyo University will be participating from the Tokyo Six Universities League, and Chuo University and Meiji University will be participating from the Toto League. Among working adults, prestigious companies such as Yamaha, which won last year’s Japan Championship, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Tokyo Gas are on the list. From overseas, South Korea’s Samsung Lions will also be joining the team. 150 games will be played during the period until March 8th.

Last year, eight people were drafted.

Last year’s participating teams produced eight professional baseball players. From Chuo University, Soku Iwaki (Toyama Commercial) was selected in second place by the Saitama Seibu Lions, Shigenagaaki (Osaka Toin) was selected in third place by Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and Gakuhi Minagawa (Ikuei Maebashi) was selected in fourth place by Yomiuri Giants. Players from adult teams are also nominated to become professional players. Toyota’s Shota Masui (Keio University) was selected 4th by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and Takayoshi Takahashi (Chuo University) was selected 5th by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.

Kenichi Kozono, chairman of the Executive Committee, said at a press conference, “Korean Professional Baseball has expanded the number of foreign players from three to four, and one of these slots is from Asia.It can be said that almost all Japanese players are eligible.Satsuma Oidon League “Kagoshima will attract a lot of attention from South Korea to the players who gather there, and the attention to Kagoshima will increase,” he said, emphasizing that in the year the WBC is held, the Oidon League will also attract attention from overseas. He also mentioned his thoughts towards children who play baseball. “We hope that children will discover what they aspire to and connect it to their dreams. The Satsuma Oidon League is starting to become the place where future leading players first get noticed.”

Also participating in this tournament is the Panasonic Baseball Club, which will be closed for the 2026 season. GM Hiroshi Nakamoto, who took the microphone at the press conference, said, “I’ve been participating since the first event, and I’ve learned the importance of contributing to the local community through connections with the elderly, boys and girls.The adult team is made up of top-notch teams, so I’ve learned the importance of contributing to the local community. This is a very valuable opportunity for us to see what level our team is at.Although the club will be closed in 2026, we will continue to play well from this start and show everyone who has been supporting us one last time.”

Tomoya Satosaki will be the cheerleader this year as well.

Continuing from last year, Tomoya Satosaki, former member of the Chiba Lotte Marines, was appointed as the cheerleader for the tournament. He also sent a video message at the press conference, saying, “There are various events that can be enjoyed by both baseball fans and non-baseball fans. Please come and visit the venue. You can feel the enthusiasm of local officials, local governments, and many companies. At this time of year, baseball is heated, not in Miyazaki or Okinawa, but here in Kagoshima!”

In the future, new participating teams and match combinations will be announced for the Satsuma Oidon League.Home pagewill be announced.