Overview
Waivers give other teams the opportunity to claim a player before they become a free agent. In NPB, players who receive a non-tender notice are placed on waivers, allowing interested teams to file a claim. The NPB draft also employs a waiver system from the second round onward: while the first round uses a lottery for contested picks, subsequent rounds alternate between reverse and forward order of finish, with the second round giving lower-ranked teams priority access to promising young talent for competitive balance. Unlike MLB, where in-season trade waivers were once actively used, NPB's trade culture is relatively conservative, with fewer mid-season transactions. Development contracts (ikusei) and independent leagues offer options for players who clear waivers without being claimed, providing alternative paths to continue their careers.