Farm System Reality - Players Whose Path to the Top Is Closed
Each NPB team operates a two-tier structure of first team and farm team. The farm is intended for developing young players and conditioning first-team players, but in reality, players with virtually no promotion prospects sometimes remain for years. Contracts are maintained to fill the 70-player roster limit, but without substantive development plans, some players have limited playing time even in farm games. They are placed in what's called 'kaiguroshi' (kept but unused), wasting precious time as professional baseball players.
Team Logic - Holding Players as 'Insurance'
Teams maintain contracts for players with slim promotion prospects for several reasons: 'insurance' as emergency replacements for injured players, maintaining headcount for farm games, and psychological resistance to issuing release notifications. Japanese employment culture has strong aversion to 'firing,' and teams sometimes continue contracts under the pretense of 'still having potential.' However, being told 'there's still potential' actually becomes a shackle delaying players' transition to second careers.
Find books about NPB's farm system on Amazon
Lost Twenties - Impact on Second Careers
Most NPB players turn professional from high school or college, spend several years in the farm, then receive release notifications. For players leaving baseball at 25-28, lacking skills or experience outside baseball is a serious problem. Pursuing qualifications or education while on the farm is practically difficult given practice schedule constraints. Teams honestly communicating early that 'first-team promotion is unlikely' and supporting second career preparation would be the sincere approach for players' lives. However, few teams take such action.
Directions for Improvement - System Design Respecting Players' Time
Addressing the warehousing problem requires both institutional and cultural approaches. Institutionally, setting limits on farm tenure years or granting free agency rights to players without first-team appearances for certain periods could be considered. Culturally, teams need to develop career-spanning development plans and cultivate a culture of providing early second career support to players unlikely to reach the first team. MLB's minor leagues offer robust educational support programs, with many players pursuing degrees alongside baseball. NPB must recognize its responsibility for players' lives and refuse to tolerate 'warehousing.'