Overview
The farm team (ni-gun) is the minor league affiliate used for developing young players and rehabilitating injured veterans. NPB's farm leagues are divided into the Eastern League and the Western League, each conducting independent official seasons. Since 2005, the development player (ikusei) system allows players outside the 70-man registered roster to compete at the farm level. This system has produced major talents like Kodai Senga (SoftBank ikusei 4th pick, later MLB pitcher) and Takuya Kai (ikusei 6th pick, became starting catcher). While farm games draw smaller crowds and some venues offer free admission, some clubs have invested in dedicated farm facilities, such as those in Chikugo (SoftBank) and Izumi (Rakuten). Unlike MLB's multi-tiered minor league system (AAA through Rookie), NPB operates primarily on a two-tier structure, with only a few teams like SoftBank maintaining a third-team (san-gun) program.