Farm System Reality
With 70-man rosters and 29-man active rosters, roughly 40 players per team occupy the farm. Some remain without realistic promotion prospects, their careers stagnating in what's called 'warehousing,' a serious problem for player development and career management.
Development Draft Pros and Cons
The 2005 development player system allows teams to hold players outside the roster at minimum 2.4 million yen (vs 4.4 million for roster players). While producing stars like Senga, it enables teams like SoftBank to stockpile 40+ development players, most of whom leave without ever making the roster.
Farm Environment Gaps
Farm teams play before near-empty stadiums with basic facilities, bus travel, lower-quality accommodations, and food that may inadequately support player development. Coaching quality varies significantly, with farm assignments not always going to experienced development specialists.
Reform Efforts
SoftBank pioneered NPB's first three-tier system for expanded development opportunities. New farm-level teams (Kufu Hayate Ventures Shizuoka, Oishix Niigata) joined in 2024, increasing competition. Preventing warehousing requires both environmental improvements and career transition support systems.