CPBL Draft: Koji Otaki Pursues Pro Baseball Dream for Fourth Time After 10 Years in Taiwan

At 29 years old, Koji Otaki is the second-oldest player testing for the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) this year. He is making his fourth attempt to break into the professional league after a decade spent playing baseball in Taiwan.

Otaki has been a fixture in Taiwan's amateur baseball scene and is eligible for the CPBL draft under the "Nagata Clause." He first participated in the league's tryouts in 2022 and has been unsuccessful in the draft in 2022, 2023, and last year. This year marks his latest effort to secure a professional contract.

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After playing baseball for so long, of course, I have a dream of entering professional baseball. This is my 10th year in Taiwan, and my biggest goal is the professional stage.

"After playing baseball for so long, of course, I have a dream of entering professional baseball," Otaki stated. "This is my 10th year in Taiwan, and my biggest goal is the professional stage." He mentioned that he often follows Japanese players in the CPBL, such as former teammate Masaki Takashio and Shunsuke Suzuki, who also played in independent leagues and amateur baseball.

Otaki admitted he hasn't set a specific timeline for his pursuit of this dream. "It hasn't been easy playing since I was young, and that's my motivation for baseball," he said. "Since I've come this far, I want to continue working hard with a challenging mindset."

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It hasn't been easy playing since I was young, and that's my motivation for baseball. Since I've come this far, I want to continue working hard with a challenging mindset.