Carp Hold Off on Announcing No. 1 Draft Pick as Sho Oda Weighs MLB or NPB

The Hiroshima Carp held a meeting on October 9 at Mazda Stadium to discuss their plans for the NPB Draft, scheduled for October 22. However, the club declined to announce its first-round selection, breaking with its recent tradition of revealing its top target at this stage.

In previous years, Hiroshima had disclosed its plans in advance, including its selections of Yu Saito four years ago and Ryojiro Morihiro three years ago. The club also announced its intention to target Munetaka Muneyama two years ago, before he joined Rakuten, and last year's first-round target, Hanshin-bound Kaito Tateishi.

This time, the Carp are keeping their options open, with one highly regarded high school pitcher potentially influencing their decision.

Sho Oda's decision could shape the draft

Yokohama High School right-hander Sho Oda is among the players being considered for Hiroshima's first-round pick. The highly rated prospect is weighing both Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball as possible career paths.

Oda is expected to announce his decision at a press conference on October 15.

Carp scouting director Tamura acknowledged that the pitcher's decision is affecting the club's preparations. Hiroshima plans to meet with Oda at Yokohama High School to discuss his future.

“The Carp are also planning to visit Yokohama High School and speak with him. That's one of the factors we're considering. Oda is a player at a level you might see once every 20 years. He hasn't decided on his future yet…”

The comment underscores how highly the organization regards Oda, whose potential has made him a significant figure in this year's draft discussions.

Final decision may come on October 21

Hiroshima plans to hold its next draft meeting in Tokyo on October 21, the day before the draft.

Tamura said the club has not yet settled on a clear direction and is still weighing whether to prioritize a pitcher or a position player.

“We haven't settled on a direction yet. We haven't even decided whether to go with a pitcher or a position player. The manager also has his opinion, so I think the final decision will probably be made in Tokyo.”

The Carp must also account for the plans of other clubs, which could affect which players remain available when their turn comes.

“Of course, we have to consider what the other teams are going to do, so we may not necessarily have everything decided even the day before.”

With Oda expected to clarify his intentions on October 15, Hiroshima's first-round strategy could become clearer shortly before the draft. For now, the club is keeping its options open as it evaluates both the available talent and the direction it wants to take.