The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters held a press conference today, December 13th (Friday), to welcome Kengo Yoshida, who joined the team from the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks through the active player draft. His uniform number will be "60".

Yoshida will be entering his third professional season next year. Regarding the transfer, he took a positive view and expressed his gratitude, saying, "I think it's an opportunity to be able to play in a new environment, and I want to thank the team for giving me this opportunity." When asked about his impression of the Fighters, he showed his fighting spirit, saying, "They have a great atmosphere, and they are a team that makes you excited just by watching them. I hope to find my own path and make a strong impression." He also expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "My strength is batting. I want to contribute to the team in all aspects of hitting, from small ball to power hits."

Acting General Manager Masao Kida, who was also present at the press conference, said, "Among the active draft members, he was one of the top players we selected. I think he's a batter with great contact ability and the potential to hit for power, so I hope he'll lead the Fighters to victory with his batting."

The young prodigy, registered as a catcher but whose batting talent has earned him more playing time as an infielder, vowed to break out in his new team, saying, "I'm always prepared to play anywhere to make the most of my batting. My main goal is to play in the first team for the entire year, and to contribute to winning the league championship and becoming the best in Japan."