Baseball: Amateur prospect Matsumoto

Baseball: Amateur prospect Matsumoto

Meijo University sidearm pitcher Ryoto Matsumoto, an amateur prospect player in Japanese baseball, poses in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on March 5, 2023.

Baseball: Amateur prospect Matsumoto

Baseball: Amateur prospect Matsumoto

Meijo University sidearm pitcher Ryoto Matsumoto, an amateur prospect player in Japanese baseball, plays catch in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, on March 5, 2023.

Cutting-edge robotic baseball pitcher makes debut in lab

Cutting-edge robotic baseball pitcher makes debut in lab

TOKYO, Japan - A robotic arm throws a sidearm pitch, nimbly using its three fingers, during a demonstration in a University of Tokyo lab on July 23. The balls hurled by the robot pitcher were returned by a robot batter positioned 3.5 meters away.

Tohoku Fukushi hurler Kumagai signs U.S. minor league deal

Tohoku Fukushi hurler Kumagai signs U.S. minor league deal

SENDAI, Japan - Ray Poitevint (L), vice president of the American League's Boston Red Sox, and Tohoku University's Ryo Kumagai hail the right hander's signing of a minor league deal with the Red Sox at the university in Sendai on Jan. 15. Kumagai, who has a fastball clocking 147 kilometers per hour from a sidearm delivery, is scheduled to take part in spring training with the major league club later this year.

Tohoku Fukushi hurler Kumagai signs U.S. minor league deal

Tohoku Fukushi hurler Kumagai signs U.S. minor league deal

SENDAI, Japan - Ray Poitevint (L), vice president of the American League's Boston Red Sox, and Tohoku University's Ryo Kumagai hail the right hander's signing of a minor league deal with the Red Sox at the university in Sendai on Jan. 15. Kumagai, who has a fastball clocking 147 kilometers per hour from a sidearm delivery, is scheduled to take part in spring training with the major league club later this year.