NPB Draft Picks 2026: Records by Year

How many of the players selected at the draft became established in NPB, gathered by year and by round. Only players who are still active are counted, so older years come out on the low side.

Player names are shown in Japanese.

How to read this table

  • Established in NPB = reached 100 plate appearances (30 innings for pitchers) in total.
  • Groups with few players are shown as “—”.
  • The figures come from the official statistics as of the reference date and change day by day during the season. They are final once the season ends.
  • First-team records after being drafted, arranged by year and club; players with no first-team appearance are also counted.
  • Past seasons are counted for the players selected, whether or not they are on a roster now.
  • Players who did not sign are also counted in the number of picks.
  • A rate marked ※ is a draft year without five full seasons behind it.
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Output by Year and Round

Output by Year and Round2026-09-19npbc.mediaRoundRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5Round 6Round 7 and later200520072009201120132015201720192021YearLower outputHigher output

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Output by Year and Round2026-09-19npbc.mediaRound1234567+20052009201320172021YearLower outputHigher output

From 2005 to 2007 the high-school draft and the college and industrial-league draft were held separately, so those years are not in the grid by year and round.

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Picks and What Followed, by Year

Regular picks

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Year Picks Established in NPB Rate
2005 (College and industrial-league draft) 49 9 18.4 %
2005 (High-school draft) 38 9 23.7 %
2005 (Preferred-choice picks) 9 5
2006 (College and industrial-league draft) 47 8 17.0 %
2006 (High-school draft) 33 9 27.3 %
2006 (Preferred-choice picks) 10 2
2007 (College and industrial-league draft) 34 7 20.6 %
2007 (High-school draft) 41 9 22.0 %
2008 68 18 26.5 %
2009 66 29 43.9 %
2010 68 31 45.6 %
2011 72 38 52.8 %
2012 70 30 42.9 %
2013 76 53 69.7 %
2014 81 39 48.1 %
2015 88 57 64.8 %
2016 87 55 63.2 %
2017 82 53 64.6 %
2018 83 61 73.5 %
2019 74 47 63.5 %
2020 74 47 63.5 %
2021 77 44 57.1 %
2022 69 41 59.4 %※
2023 72 29 40.3 %※
2024 69 26
2025 73 16

Player of note (one per year)

  • 2011: 菅野 智之
  • 2012: 菅野 智之
  • 2013: 山川 穂高
  • 2014: 有原 航平
  • 2015: 吉田 正尚
  • 2016: 山本 由伸
  • 2017: 村上 宗隆
  • 2018: 近本 光司
  • 2019: 森下 暢仁
  • 2020: 牧 秀悟
  • 2021: 隅田 知一郎

Developmental picks

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Year Picks Established in NPB Rate
2005 6 1
2006 12 1
2007 15 0
2008 26 2 7.7 %
2009 17 1
2010 29 4 13.8 %
2011 26 2 7.7 %
2012 13 0
2013 13 3
2014 23 2 8.7 %
2015 28 4 14.3 %
2016 28 5 17.9 %
2017 32 8 25.0 %
2018 21 4 19.0 %
2019 33 8 24.2 %
2020 49 16 32.7 %
2021 51 14 27.5 %
2022 57 9 15.8 %※
2023 50 3 6.0 %※
2024 54 4
2025 43 0

Player of note (one per year)

  • 2012: 宮川 将
  • 2013: 石川 柊太
  • 2014: 近藤 弘基
  • 2015: 山田 大樹
  • 2016: 榊原 翼
  • 2017: 周東 佑京
  • 2018: 大盛 穂
  • 2019: 大関 友久
  • 2020: 坂本 勇人
  • 2021: 岩田 幸宏
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How to read the table and the figure

Picks is the number of players selected at the draft, as it stands. Developmental picks are collected in a separate table, and players who did not sign are counted too.

Established in NPB counts players who later reached 100 plate appearances or 30 innings in first-team official games. Only players who are still active are counted.

The rate divides the players established in NPB by the number of picks. A draft year without five full seasons behind it carries a ※ next to the rate. For the most recent years, where a single player moves the rate a long way, the rate is a dash.

Frequently asked questions

Are players who did not sign counted?

Yes, in the number of picks. The draft list does not record whether a player signed, so the number selected is used as the denominator as it stands, and the establishment rate is worked out on it.

Is the club the one after any transfer?

It is the club that made the pick. The club on the roster changes with transfers, so the club listed at the draft is used for the club-by-club figures.

Is there a list for individual players?

No. These pages deal only with totals by year and by club. A name is added for one player only, and only where a group has enough players.

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