Across 101 games in 2026, Masaki hit .274 with 28 homers and 59 RBI, a .372 OBP and .516 slugging percentage. Sixty walks add another dimension to his power. Compared with 17 appearances the previous year, this was a substantial increase in opportunity and output.
Updated 2026-11-10Masaki advanced from Keio High School to Keio University and was selected by SoftBank in the second round in 2021. His first-team introduction in 2022 comprised 35 games and three home runs. Playing time fell to fifteen games the following year, illustrating the competition and adjustment involved in moving from university baseball to the professional level.
In 2024 he hit .270 in eighty games, supplementing seven homers with 21 doubles. His first-team appearances fell to seventeen in 2025, when he hit .259. His early professional years after university have alternated between expanded opportunities and renewed competition for a place.
Five straight first-inning hits and an eight-pitcher relay carried Japan past Hiroshima 5–1. Hiroto Takahashi worked two scoreless innings, while Koki Yamaguchi drove in the opening run.
Source
A sweep without an easy night: SoftBank rallied past DeNA 4–2 in Game 4 to secure its second straight title and 13th overall.
Source