DeNA announced on the 12th that a two-for-one trade has been finalized, sending catcher Yamamoto Yudai (27) to the SoftBank Hawks in exchange for pitcher Ogata Shuto (26) and infielder Inoue Tomoya (23).
Yamamoto, who joined DeNA as a ninth-round draft pick in 2017, quickly rose to become the team’s starting catcher. He appeared in 71 games in 2023, 108 in 2024, and 104 in 2025, leading the team from behind the plate. This season, he has played in a team-high 28 games among catchers, posting a batting average of .227 with one home run. The move is an unusual roster shakeup, as DeNA parted ways with their primary catcher.
**Player Profiles:**
– **Yamamoto Yudai** (Born September 11, 1998, in Osaka’s Taisho Ward) attended Kyoto Shoei High School, appearing in the summer Koshien tournament in his third year. After playing in the BC League for Shiga, he was drafted ninth overall by DeNA in 2017. He hit a home run in his first career at-bat on August 19, 2018, against Hiroshima. From 2023, he was the team’s most-used catcher for two consecutive seasons, earning Best Nine and Golden Glove awards in 2024. His estimated salary for the current season is 73 million yen. He stands 180 cm, weighs 87 kg, and bats and throws right-handed.
– **Ogata Shuto** (Born May 15, 1999, in Miyagi Prefecture) entered the bench from his first year at Gakusho Ishikawa High School, becoming the ace from his second fall. In his third summer, his team reached the Fukushima tournament quarterfinals. Drafted first overall in the developmental round in 2017, he was registered as a regular roster player in March 2020, his third season. Last year, he appeared in 38 games as a reliever, posting a 1-1 record with 5 holds and a 4.67 ERA. This season, he has pitched in 10 games, going 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA. All 80 of his career appearances have been in relief. Known for his affinity for Korean fashion, he translates Korean shopping sites and purchases items online. He is 182 cm, 90 kg, throws right and bats left. His estimated salary for the current season is 27 million yen.
– **Inoue Tomoya** (Born January 28, 2003, in Osaka Prefecture) attended Hanasaki Tokuharu High School, participating in the summer Koshien tournament in his first and second years. His third-year tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He hit 50 home runs in high school. Drafted first overall by SoftBank in 2020, he overcame a herniated disc surgery in August 2022 and made his first-team debut on September 6, 2023, against Lotte, in his third year out of high school. He wears jersey number 43. He is 182 cm, 89 kg, throws and bats right. His estimated salary for the current season is 9.3 million yen.
