He has achieved high-level results in all three batting categories, and has improved since last season.

　Ryo Ota player leads Pacific League 's batting average rankings with a .397 batting average as of the end of the May 4 game. Ota, who made his breakthrough in 2024 with a .288 batting average in 91 games, has been performing at a high level in all three categories of hitting this season, with Home Run tied for fifth in the league and RBI tied for first, suggesting that he is about to make a further step up in his career.

In this issue, we check the number of games Ryo Ota players have played in each season defense in addition to the various hitting metrics they have recorded in the first team. I would like to reintroduce the characteristics and strengths of the 24-year-old young warrior who has supported the new Orix team, which has been competing for the top spot since the opening of the season, both offensively and defensively. (Results are as of the end of the game on May 4)

By improving his batting eye and power hitting, he has become one of the most productive hitter in the league.

The following are the annual indicators that Ota has recorded in the first team.

His career average of IsoD, which indicates the difference between batting average and on-base percentage, is .054, which is not a high number, and shows that he has an aggressive batting style. However, this season's IsoD is .065, which is higher than his career average, and there are signs of improvement in his batting eye, which was one of his issues.

In addition, his BB/K ratio, which is calculated by dividing Walk by struck out and is an indicator of hitter 's batting eye, is over .400 in each of the past two years, compared to his career average of .299. It can be said that his ability to judge strike zone is steadily improving, as reflected in various indicators.

His career average slugging percentage was a little modest at .377, but in the last three years he has recorded a slugging percentage above .400. In particular, his slugging percentage this season has improved dramatically to .517, the highest in the league, proving that his productivity as hitter has also increased significantly.

In addition, his "ISO" indicator, which is a measure of "true slugging power" that excludes the effect of single hit from slugging percentage, has exceeded his career average in each of the past three seasons. Furthermore, his "AB/HR" indicator, which shows At Bat Home Run bats required to hit one home run, was 29.00 this season, far exceeding his career average (43.11).

As a result of his improved batting eye and power, his OPS reached an extremely high level of .979, the highest in the league. His career average OPS was a little low at .693, but he has now evolved into one of the most productive hitter in the league.

The versatility he has shown since the beginning of his career is being steadily utilized.

Next, we will look at the number of games that Ota played in each defense on the first team for each season.

In 2019, when he made his debut in the first team, he only played six games as short stop, but in the following year of 2020, he played three positions: second baseman, third baseman, and short stop. In 2021, while mainly playing second baseman base, he also played first and third defense, and the numbers show that he has the versatility to play all infield positions.

However, from 2022 onwards, he will mostly play as first baseman or second baseman, with the only exception being playing third defense in three games in 2024. Considering that there has been a significant improvement in various batting indicators since 2023, it seems possible that the reduced defense burden has brought about a positive impact on his batting.

In 2024, he played 58 games as first baseman and 54 games as second baseman, so he played more defense roles as first baseman. However, this season, coupled with the recovery of Yuma Tongu, who had been in a slump last year, he has been in starting line-up lineup as a permanent second baseman since the start of the season.

On the other hand, it is worth noting that this season there have been quite a few games in which Ota has moved from second base to first base depending on the situation. One of Ota's great strengths is that he continues to use the high versatility he has shown since the beginning of his career, even now that he has grown into a main hitter, and is able to help the team not only in terms of batting but also in terms of defense.

Can I achieve the best results for both the team and the individual, just like my predecessors?

In the past, there have been quite a few players in Orix who won titles in the year they were established as regulars. The most notable example is Ichiro Suzuki, who achieved 200 hit in a season for the first time in NPB history in 1994, the year he reached the required number of at-bats for the first time. hitter won the batting title, most hit, highest on-base percentage, season MVP, and Shoriki Matsutaro Award, and became one of the most representative players in the baseball world.

T-Okada, who retired last season, also had a great performance, winning the Home Run run title in 2010 when he reached the required number of at-bats for the first time. Among active players, Yutaro Sugimoto won the home run title in 2021 when he reached the required number Home Run for the first time, and Yuma Yuma Tongu also won the batting title in 2023 when he reached the required number of at hitter for the first time.

Will Ota be able to achieve his first required number of at-bats and win a title, just like his predecessors who have colored the team's history? Since the team won the league championship in both years that Sugimoto and Tonmiya won the title, attention will be focused on Ota as a central player who can strongly lead Orix and bring about the best results for both the team and himself.

Text by Ryota Mochizuki