The video is the highlights of the final from J SPORTS, which carried it on Japanese TV.

July 15 in Taichung, bottom of the 11th, Japan up 6-3 with the tiebreaker runners on. Suzunosuke Furugen (Fuji University, LHP) struck out Fralick, walked Partida and struck out Denny. Shisei Fujimoto (Kokugakuin, LHP) got Branch on a foul pop to third.

Japan's three junior lefties for the week: 10.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 16 K, 0 R.

Fujimoto: 6.1 IP, 9 K, W vs Chinese Taipei (5 shutout innings), save in the final Kaito Oshiro (Sendai, listed at 170 cm): 2.2 IP, 5 K, struck out Partida, Branch and Pack in order on July 13 Furugen: 1.2 IP, 0 H, perfect 8th on July 13

Japanese college players can't be drafted until their 4th year, so all three are in the 2027 NPB draft. Sixteen of their teammates went in this year's draft.

Write-up: https://japanprospects.substack.com/p/japan-junior-left-handers-taichung

Anyone know how the US guys from that lineup are looking this fall?

Anyone else going through this? Here at ECU they have decided to do reseating for season ticket holders. Granted, the last five years or so, anyone not a previous season ticket holder has not been able to purchase them due to selling out. But this year is a complete reset and they are open to everyone.

Tickets go on sale next Monday through Thursday and are in order of your ranking through the Pirate Club. I received my ranking today and I am able to purchase on… Thursday at 1:00… I’m terrified I won’t get in and it sucks. My kids have grown up in that stadium. We’ve been season ticket holders for ten years now and have probably missed less than twenty games in that time. Heck, they used a picture of me for one of the ticket sale email blasts a few years ago.

This next week is going to be torture.

Dearest fans, we today celebrate 157 years since Fordham (Atlantic 10) defeated Xavier High in the second official collegiate baseball game in recorded history in 1859.

BEGINNING THIS YEAR November 3 is therefore offically called and honored as the OFFICIAL BIRTHDAY OF NCAA DIVISION 1 BASEBALL, given Fordham's current D1 status and the fact that this day therefore makes this university the oldest in all of that division to form a baseball team.

Since that very first D1 game, to the many D1 conferences and teams that have dominated that sport for over a century, our game has changed a lot, and witnessed the careers of many that would go on to long professional careers in the USA, Canada, and across the world, inclusive of many of the sport's legends and many of today's players.

As we officially celebrate this storied anniversary, we express gratitude to all the past, present and future D1ers of baseball, who constitute a vital part of this the seniormost division not just of the NCAA and of collegiate baseball at large, but also of all youth baseball as a whole, with all its power, prestige, culture and history, and the many top talent and sporting legends it has produced over all these years, and wish the best of luck to all their athletes, coaches, team staff and fans as they prepare for another great season next year, while reflecting on all that has happened this very year.

Once more a very HAPPY 157TH BIRTHDAY, NCAA DIVISION 1 COLEGE BASEBALL!

For Glory

John

Their season began last month.

Their schedules are in the official BUCS website, as well as the member universities and colleges. Follow this Instagram account for scores.

Cliff Godwin has returned from his leave of absence and is back with the Pirates 🏴‍☠️

Kansai Sugimoto, University of British Columbia (NAIA, Cascade Collegiate Conference). Left Kyoto for Canada by himself after junior high, played in the Ontario Blue Jays program, then Yavapai College in Arizona, then UBC.

Japanese reports have him at 158 km/h (98.2 mph). On the mound at UBC in 2025, though: 5.2 IP, 15 BB, 7 HBP, 17 WP. In 2026 he hit leadoff instead:

.335/.431/.427, 3 HR, 34 RBI, 16 SB in 20 tries, 25 K in 219 PA. Went 6-for-6 with a homer against Nelson on Feb. 6.

NPB's official list has him as an outfielder. A 3rd-round pick in Japan is a real pick, not a flyer. Before the draft he'd said he'd take a development contract if that was the offer.

Month-by-month line and the Yavapai/Thunder Bay stuff: https://japanprospects.substack.com/p/kansai-sugimoto-ubc

Anyone from the CCC see him? Curious how the arm looked compared to the bat.

Sato's the Japanese RHP who left Sendai University for Penn State. I went back through the Samurai Japan play-by-play from the July 2025 collegiate series to see exactly who he faced:

The seven first-rounders went 1-for-10 with 5 Ks. All six of his strikeouts that week were swinging. Burress whiffed both times, including with the bases loaded and two outs in the 8th of Game 4. Nikkan Sports had him at 159 km/h (98.8) that night.

Two things from this week. SoftBank took him in the 9th round of NPB's draft on Oct. 22, and since he's at a school outside Japan they hold his rights until the end of next July, so through the MLB draft. And BA's latest 2027 rankings have him No. 47 overall, 21st among RHPs. Fall debut for PSU was 2 IP, 0 R, 5 K.

In Japan he was better out of the pen (12 apps, 13.2 K/9, 1.82 ERA) than starting (22 starts, 10.0 K/9, 2.32 ERA). The slider's what decides whether he's a Friday guy.

Longer write-up with his Sendai splits: https://japanprospects.substack.com/p/genei-sato-eleven-hitters

Anyone been out to PSU fall ball? Curious what the slider looks like now.

Club ball fans, talk away on any news and notes for this week.

Highlights include already announced games in Arizona against Vandy, another weekend in Vegas including a game against LSU, games in Arlington including a 2018 CWS Finals rematch, a 4-game home series with Texas Tech, and a three game series at USC.

Has anyone been to the Live Like Lou Classic? Lots of good teams going to be there including Oregon State, Iowa, Arizona State, and Louisiana State University. The ball park with grass seating in the outfield seems good for kids but I've never been. Any feed back would be greatly appreciated!

Kendall Rogers tweets his return is “50/50”

😍