Yomiuri Giants select Yokohama High School's Shoki Oda in NPB draft

The Yomiuri Giants chose Shoki Oda, a right-handed pitcher from Yokohama High School, as their first-round selection at the October 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) draft. The pick came even though Oda had announced beforehand that he intended to skip Japan's professional league and pursue a career in the United States after graduating.

Oda, an 18-year-old known for a fastball reaching about 97 mph, had drawn interest from a number of Major League Baseball clubs. His school coach, Hiroaki Murata, said he was focused on the US, and reports said he was meeting with around a dozen teams. After the draft, Oda indicated that his plans had not changed.

The selection was widely seen as a gamble. NPB gives no compensation for a drafted player who does not sign, so the Giants risked using their top pick without gaining a player. Japanese signing bonuses are also capped far below what MLB clubs can offer international amateurs, which was part of the appeal of going abroad. The case came as the Giants entered a new era under manager Hideki Matsui, and it fed debate about whether Japan's draft system can hold on to its best young talent.