Giants visit Shoki Oda to greet their top draft pick, but he isn't there

The Yomiuri Giants went to say hello to their first-round draft pick. He didn't turn up to meet them.

The club visited to deliver its greeting to Yokohama High School pitcher Shoki Oda, whom it chose first at the NPB draft (Japan's pro baseball draft). Oda has said he will keep playing baseball in the United States, and he was not present.

Here's the backstory. On October 1, Oda announced he would pursue a career in the US rather than go through Japan's pro draft. On October 23, the Giants picked him first anyway.

A greeting visit is a standard step after the draft, but this one went ahead without the player himself. Oda's stated plan is still to continue his baseball career in America.