7/13/2013: Fukuoka, Japan – Going into this year’s draft, the C-Warriors wanted to draft starting pitching, but ended up with zero in the first five rounds.  Yes, you read that right fans.  So what did they draft, exactly?  Well in the first three rounds, they drafted three outfielders, a position they already have too much of.  But the quality of the players, according to scouting director Anastasio Márquez , was too good to pass up.  Below is a list of C-Warrior draftees and target dates for their arrival in the majors:

LF Hirotaka Murakami (Round 1, pick 7) – The C-Warriors thought about taking Eijiro Nakagawa , but passed and ended up taking Murakami.  The team believes he will become a top-of-the-line hitter in the future and a centerpiece in the middle of the lineup.  He is very young (18) and raw at the plate and on the field.  The team is rumored to let him start for a little at DH to get his feet wet in professional ball.  He signed a minor league contract with a $615,000 bonus.  Projected majors: 5 years.  While that may seem like a long time, the organization believes it is worth the wait.

RF Iwao Sanu (Round 1, pick 10) – With Nakagawa gone, the team looked over Koki Watanabe , but thought the overall potential for Sanu was higher.  The problem with Sanu is his bonus asking price ($1,400,000).  While he has shown all indications of being happy by being chosen by the C-Warriors, he has not changed his demands any.  The team has said that its next offer will be its last and if Sanu passes, well, they will just recoup a first round pick next year.  Projected majors: five years.

CF Kichisaburo Imai (Round 2, pick 7) – In a surprise move, the team chose Imai over any pitchers or infielders that were left.  The scouting department seemed to think that he has the tools to be an elite center fielder in the next three years.  Imai still hasn’t signed and the team is rumored to be thinking of letting him go and receiving another pick in the future.  Projected majors: five years.

MR Kiemon Hashimoto (Round 3, pick 7) – Kiemon probably would have gone earlier in the draft had he not been injured, according to our scouting department.  He has two nice pitches that the team projects to be good enough to make a top-of-the-line setup man in future.  The word from the training staff is that he is young enough and strong enough to make a great recovery and should be on the path to the majors in no time.  Another thing that worried the team when they drafted him was the signing bonus demands, but the team offered him $3,000 more than the recommended slot bonus and he was amenable.  Projected majors: five years.

MR Shunsen Taguchi (Round 4, pick 7) – Taguchi was taken without consultation with the owner, and now looks like a wasted pick.  He is demanding almost $700,000 to sign and is content with going to college next season.  It is rumored that team officials have warned Taguchi they will offer him no more than what was offered to Kiemon.  If he doesn’t take it, the team officially wasted this pick.  Projected majors: eight years.

MR Shirai Ota (Round 5, pick 7) – Ota was take in the 5^th round and the team is very happy with the selection.  Ota is very raw and has a lot to learn, but team officials are certain he will learn a bunch from Wes Young and evolve into a formable companion in the pen with Kiemon.  He has not signed a contract yet, but that is because none has been offered.  The team is expecting it to be a fairly easy process, as he isn’t asking for much and the team is more than willing to give it; they are just waiting on players in earlier rounds to make decisions.  Projected majors:  five-to-six years.

SP Maresuke Tanaka (Round 6, pick 7) – The C-Warriors finally took a starting pitcher.  He throws four different pitches, but none of them particularly well.  He showed improvement his senior year in college, but not enough to get excited about.  In his first pro game, he pitched 9 inning and gave up only one run, but in his next appearance, he got rocked.  The front office talked to the manager and pitching coach and told them to start watching pitch counts.  Projected majors: six years.

1B Kuniyuki Gato (Round 7, pick 1) – Trying to help shore up the lack of infield depth, the team picked Kuniyuki.  He is already very good defensively but a long way from being ready offensively.  The team projects him to come off the bench for the next year or two as a late inning replacement and nothing more.  Projected majors:  seven years, only as defensive replacement.

MR Shinichi Fujihara (Round 7, pick 7) – With the lucky 7-7 pick, the C-Warriors rolled the dice and took a gamble on Shinichi.  He has three pitches, none of which are any good.  He was awful his senior year in college and only got drafted because someone had to get drafted.  The team probably should have gone after one of the other 1B or OF that were available, but they wanted to take a gamble, and really, with this pick, how much of a gamble is it?  Projection for majors:  Never.