Rintaro Sasaki, a player from Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture who is one of the strongest hitters in high school baseball and has decided to attend Stanford University in the United States, said in an interview, ``I made this decision with determination.I will be selected in the major league and professional baseball draft meetings.'' I want to be like that,'' he said of his determination.
Sasaki of Hanamaki Higashi High School is a strong hitter who has hit 140 home runs in total during his high school career.
Sasaki's career path has been attracting attention since he revealed that he will go to an American university without submitting his application for professional baseball, but on the 14th of this month, he joined the baseball team of Stanford University in California, which is known as a prestigious university. It was announced on the baseball club's SNS that he would be going on to higher education.
Sasaki responded to an interview at Hanamaki Higashi High School on the 20th and spoke about his decision to attend Stanford University, saying, ``I made this decision with determination.As long as I play at Stanford University, I want to do my best to become a force.'' .
Regarding choosing the number 3 on his back, he said, ``I chose the number worn by the great Shigeo Nagashima, who not only holds records but also leaves a lasting impression on me, and I was happy to wear the number 3 while playing. '' he said.
Sasaki is currently studying English and training hard, and after graduating from high school in March, he plans to travel to the United States and prepare to enroll in September as soon as his visa and other preparations are in place.
Regarding the future, he was enthusiastic, saying, ``In two years' time, there is a chance that I will be nominated at the major league and professional baseball draft meetings.I want to improve my inexperienced areas and do my best to be nominated.''
Sasaki's father, Hanamaki Higashi High School baseball team coach Hiroshi Sasaki, has high hopes for him, saying, ``I want him to develop his potential both as a baseball player and as a person, and to become someone who can contribute something to Japan.'' I did.