Yomiuri Giants pick Shoki Oda first in NPB draft despite US plan

At Japan's October 2026 professional baseball draft, the Yomiuri Giants named Shoki Oda, a high school pitcher from Yokohama High School, as a first-round pick. The selection was widely seen as a gamble, because Oda had said in advance that he planned to pursue his career in the United States after graduating rather than join Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Japan's top league.

Oda was regarded as one of the best amateur prospects in the country, and reports said numerous Major League Baseball clubs were interested in him, including the Los Angeles Dodgers. Having announced that he would skip the draft, he reiterated after the Giants' pick that his plans had not changed. His coach said he would not interfere with the player's choice.

The pick sparked public debate in Japan. Supporters saw it as a legitimate attempt to secure a rare talent, while critics questioned whether a club should select a player who had openly declined to enter the draft. It also fed wider discussion about how well the domestic system can hold on to young stars who look overseas. Under NPB rules, the Giants held his draft rights, which put them in a position to negotiate with him.