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The Nippon Professional Baseball draft is a draft meeting organised by Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) to assign amateur players to NPB affiliated professional teams.

Summary
The NPB Draft is a meeting held ever year in November or December by Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) to distribute amateur players among the professional teams and allow them to negotiate contracts. Following the main draft, a draft for development player contracts is held.

Eligibility
Under the draft guidelines, eligibility is decided upon the 1st protocol of the draft guidelines which states that:
 * a player must have never played for a professional team in Japan.
 * a player must hold Japanese citizenship (unless they were educated at Japanese junior and senior high schools).
 * a player that have played or are playing for university teams registered with the Japanese University Baseball Federation is eligible.
 * a player with Japanese citizenship that has no experience playing at junior/senior high school or university within Japan is eligible.


 * A players cannot be selected if:
 * a player has left school after the 1st of April in the year of the draft.
 * a player has not lodged a "desire to turn professional" form with their relevant federation.
 * a player belongs to an industrial league team who started with the team as either a junior or senior high school student that has not spent 3 years with the team. If the player was a university graduate at the time of starting with the company, they must spend a minimum of 2 years before becoming eligible for the draft again. (According to the NPB however, this does not include cases where the team has been folded or has suspended its activities)
 * a player was selected in the previous years draft and was not deemed fit to join the team he was selected for. However, there are many exceptions to this rule. The Shikoku Island League Plus and Baseball Challenge League (both domestic and independent) are treated in the same way as industrial league teams. However when it comes to the "desire to turn professional" players can be eligible for selection in their first year with their respective teams. This was first instigated by the Shikoku Island league in 2005 and was soon followed by the Baseball Challenge League. Players that choose not to go through the NPB and go directly to the MLB or other leagues, they must still go through the draft system if they wish to play for NPB teams.

In the case that a player who has expressed their desire to turn professional through the draft and refuses selection or signs with an overseas team, high school players are frozen for 3 years while all other players are frozen from draft entry for two years.
 * Selection freezing in the case that a player refuses selection or has signed a contract with a foreign team

At the time when only amateur players were eligible to play in Olympic baseball (from Los Angeles 1984 to Atlanta 1996) it was ruled that the players would be frozen from selections and could not be selected until the Olympic Games had ended (eg. Hitoshi Ono at the Atlanta games ). However, in this frozen player case, at the draft one the Olympics had ended, players were eligible for selection regardless of being in their final year of high school or second year of university.
 * Exceptions to the player freeze rule made for players at the Olympic games

Contract Negotiation Period
What is decided at the draft is the ability to negotiate a contract with a player. If a contract cannot be made with the player following the draft, they are not eligible to join the team. The period of negotiation is determined to be between the day of selection at the draft and the end of March the following year. If a player cannot be show to have signed a contract with the team within that period, rights to negotiation become null. For industrial league players, the period of negotiation is up until January the year following the draft.

Draft Meeting
In accordance to the draft guidelines, the NPB commissioner will call a draft every year between October 30th and November 22nd, however the draft date can be changed with the agreement of all teams.


 * Draft Meeting and Selection Procedure
 * When each team has completed selection of the players they desire, they are to inform that they are no longer selecting players and will thereon play no further part in the draft.
 * The order of selection is based on the reverse order of the pennant race teams 1 week before the draft. (Last place becomes 1st pick) How the order is decided between the same position in the Central League and Pacific League is described below:


 * Until 2014
 * The league that won the annual All-Star Game series.
 * 1. In the case that a result is not forthcoming, priority for selection will be given to the league with the better point difference in the All-Star Game
 * 1.2. In the case that these points are the same (such as the 2013 All Star game) a lottery will be held to decide.
 * From 2015
 * The winning league in the annual inter-league series.
 * 1. In the case that a result is not forthcoming, priority for selection will be given to the league with the better point difference in the inter-league series.
 * 1.2.In the case that these points are the same a lottery will be held to decide.


 * The first round of picks is a bid lottery. That is; all teams submit their picks first round pick at the same time and in the event there are contested/multiple picks, a lottery will be held. Those teams unsuccessful in the lottery are allowed to submit another pick and engage in more lotteries if necessary until all teams have completed their first draft pick.
 * The second round of picks is decided on a league position reverse order in a waiver style.
 * The third round of picks is chosen by the reverse order of the second round (reverse waiver style).
 * The pick order for players selected after the fourth round continue in a reverse/normal league position order until announce they have finished. However, in the case that 120 players in total have been chosen, the draft will finish even for teams who have not announced their end of selections. (For example, in a certain round there are 3 teams left and at that point there have been 118 players selected (where there are only two more selections) only two teams would be allowed to make selections before the draft ended)

Development Player Draft
In the case that fewer than 120 players were selected at the main draft, a development player draft is held to place players on contracts that allow them to train with the team and play on their farm team, but not be eligible for call up to the first team.


 * Development player selection procedure
 * Only clubs that have shown their interest in selecting players may participate in the selection process. However, should a club show interest in selecting a player they are not obligated to make a selection.
 * The pick order for players selected is in a reverse/normal league position order until teams announce they have finished.

Draft Regulation Transition

 * 1964, at the Pacific League owner's meeting, Nishitetsu Lions president Akajiro Nishi suggests adopting an NFL style draft system.
 * On November 17 1965, the first NPB draft took place. A list of up to 30 players desired was submitted before the meeting by each club with preferencing. In the event that the top pick was doubled up on, a lottery was held and the losing club took their second preference. This style was instated only for the first pick with all picks under second preference went to a waiver/reverse-waiver selection.
 * In 1966 two drafts were held. One in September for industrial league and high school players that were not featuring in national tournaments and another in November for college and those who had played in national tournaments.
 * In 1967, the system in where a list of first pick preferences was presented before the draft was abolished and a lottery was introduced to determine the selection order. After this, odd numbered clubs would select in descending order while even numbered clubs would select in ascending order. Picks from number two onward remained as part of a waiver system however selection preference to the club that had finished last was abolished.
 * In 1978 the system would once again undergo change where all clubs would now select their top pick at the same time with any contested picks going to lottery. Only the teams that lost in the lottery would take their replacement pick in an odd or even numbered waiver system where the last placed club received preference.
 * From 1991, picks up until 4 would continue as before, but picks after 5th would rotate between a waiver and reverse waiver system. This was the first year that players were not allowed to join clubs outside the draft.
 * In 1993, high profile players were able to preference which club they would like to join in a system called "reverse designation". This was applied to college and industrial league players where players who put forward a preference would be able to picked by the club they had chosen ahead of any others. This was applied only to first and second picks with all picks after going to waiver and reverse waiver selection.
 * In 2001 reverse designation was replaced by "free agent" signing where two slots were designated for players to be signed outside of the draft by clubs. The only key difference between free agent and reverse designation slots was that the selection order was made uniform after one such free agent selection was made. (In the past, with reverse designation, clubs could participate in the first round of the draft proper. Please see details of regulations between 2001-2004 below). Based on the usage of these free agent slots, clubs were restricted from or included in drafting rounds. From 2001 - 2007 picks were chosen not by positions but by rounds.
 * From 2005, the free agent slot was replaced by the "expression of intention" system where the draft was split into two meetings in October for high school players and November for college and industrial league players. (Please see 2005-2006 draft regulations below for more information). Also, limited only to 2005, a separate development player draft was held in December however from 2006 this draft would be merged with the larger draft.
 * In 2007 due to a corruption scandal involving the Saitama Seibu Lions and under the table payments, it was decided that "expression of intention" signings would be a hotbed for scandal and were removed from the draft.
 * From 2008, high school, college and industrial league players would be drafted at the same meeting in October.

Draft Regulations 2001 - 2004

 * Free agent selection
 * Before the draft, clubs can make a contract with up to two players free of the draft.
 * High school players cannot be selected under this rule.
 * There is no requirement to use this selection right and teams can choose only one player or two if they desire.
 * If a player has been selected under this regulation, they cannot be selected by other teams during the regular draft.


 * Regular player selection
 * Once each club has selected all the player they want, they must declare they are finished and can therefore no longer make selections thereafter.
 * Only teams that did not participated in using a free agent selection can participate in the first round. In this round, all teams select a player at the same time with multiple selections of a single player going to lottery. The lottery continues until all participating teams have selected a first round pick.
 * The second round is a waiver selection for teams that only participated in the free agent selection
 * The third round is a waiver selection for teams that did not participate in the free agent selection.
 * The fourth round and beyond is a reverse waiver and waiver selection with all clubs able to participate until a total of 120 players has been selected or all teams declare they have finished selections.

Draft Regulations 2005 - 2006
2004年に明治大学の一場靖弘に対し、いくつかの球団の関係者が自由獲得枠での獲得を目指して裏金を渡していた問題（一場事件参照）が発覚した. この事件の元凶は、上に示した当時のドラフト制度にあるとされ、これを改めることになった.
 * 導入の背景

改正内容に関しては、ドラフト制度の中で契約金と契約順が制限されている事が裏金を使う温床になったのであり、自由に新人選手を獲得できるようにすれば、裏金が生まれる必然性がなくなると主張しより自由競争に近い方式を求めた球団と、ドラフト制度の中に中途半端に自由競争を持ち込む自由獲得枠という制度が裏金の温床になると主張し、自由獲得枠を撤廃し完全ウェーバー方式のドラフトになれば裏金は発生することはないと主張する球団とがそれぞれの希望に沿った制度改正を主張した.

裏金問題の解決を目指して始まった議論だったが、各球団ともに自らが有力な選手が獲得できるような制度を求めたまま対立し、意見が一致することはなかった. 妥協案として、試行的に2005年と2006年の2年間は、自由獲得枠の名称を希望入団枠と変更した上で枠を2から1に減らしたドラフト会議を行った.


 * 希望入団枠
 * ドラフト会議以前に各球団1名までの選手を契約締結内定選手として自由に獲得することができる.
 * 希望入団枠を使って高校生やこれに準ずる選手を獲得することはできない.
 * 希望入団枠を使うか使わないかは各球団の自由であるが、事前にどちらにするかを申請しなければならない.
 * 希望入団枠を使うことを申請したものの契約締結内定選手が得られないこともある.
 * 希望入団枠によって獲得された選手は、ドラフト会議における通常の選手指名で他球団に指名されない.


 * 高校生ドラフト
 * 高校生のみを対象としたドラフト会議で10月に開催される（2006年は9月に開催）.
 * 各球団は獲得を希望する選手がいなくなった段階で選択の終了を宣言し、それ以後の指名に参加することはできない.
 * 1巡目は参加する全球団が同時に選手を指名して、指名が重複した場合には抽選を行う. 抽選に外れた球団のみでウェーバーによる代替選手の指名を行う. 1巡目の指名を行わなくてもよく、その場合は事前に申請する.
 * 2巡目は希望入団枠を使わないことを事前に申請した球団のみが参加でき、ウェーバー方式で指名選手を確定する.
 * 3巡目以降はウェーバー方式と逆ウェーバー方式を交互に行い、すべての球団が選択の終了を宣言するまでこれを続ける.


 * 大学生・社会人ほかドラフト
 * 大学生や社会人など、高校生以外の新人選手を対象としたドラフト会議で11月に開催される.
 * 各球団は獲得を希望する選手がいなくなった段階で選択の終了を宣言し、それ以後の指名に参加することはできない.
 * 1巡目は希望入団枠を使うことを事前に申請したものの契約締結内定選手が得られなかった球団のみが参加でき、ウェーバー方式で指名選手を確定する.
 * 2巡目は高校生ドラフトで1巡目の指名を行わなかった球団のみが参加でき、ウェーバー方式で指名選手を確定する.
 * 3巡目以降はウェーバー方式と逆ウェーバー方式を交互に行い、希望入団枠と高校生ドラフトを含む指名選手が全球団合わせて120名になるか、すべての球団が選択の終了を宣言するまでこれを続ける.
 * 各球団は、通常の指名に続き、育成選手を指名することができる.

Draft Pick Player Limit Transition

 * 1965 - 1966：Only for listed players.
 * 1967 - 1973：No limitation
 * 1974 - 1977、1981 - 1992：Each team within 6 players
 * 1978 - 1980：Each team within 4 players.
 * 1993 - 1994：Each team within 10 players
 * 1995 - 2000：Each team within 8 players（1999 - 2000は指名人数が8名未満の球団があった場合、全体の合計が96名以内なら9名以上10名以内で指名も可能）.
 * After 2001：If all 12 NPB teams sign under 120 players in total, there is no limit. (includes 12球団合計で120名以内であれば人数制限なし（自由獲得枠、希望入団枠、育成選手を含む）. ※1

※1：After 2008 selection of domestic independent league Japanese and international players was unlimited and not included in the 120 player limit.

Announcing picks
開始当初から1988年までは、指名選手の発表は司会者によって読み上げられ、その後1位指名確定選手についてはパネルに手書きされた紙を貼り付けていた.

1989年からは指名選手は発表と同時に会場に設えたモニターテレビで表示し、重複指名・ならびに2位以下の選手についても表示されるようになった.

Draft Chairmen

 * Kazuo Ito（1965-1991）
 * NPB Staff Members (1992, 1994-2008)
 * Kentaro Watanabe（1993）
 * Hiroyuki Sekino（2009 - Present）

Argument for teams to have freedom of selection
現在の指名入札及びウェーバー方式では、選手側における球団選択の自由がほとんどないことから、選手の海外流出懸念と絡めて、さまざまな意見がある.


 * 選手側の自由を尊重する立場
 * 希望球団への入団が困難になったことによる、学生、社会人選手の海外流出を懸念する意見
 * 他業界との比較で、職種や職場に関する希望が全く聞き入れられないことについて、特殊であるとの意見
 * 日本国憲法が保障する職業選択の自由の侵害ではないかという意見
 * 感情論として「希望の球団に行けなくてかわいそう」といった意見


 * 選手の自由よりプロ野球界発展のための戦力均衡を優先させる立場
 * 不正ドラフト活動防止とともに、公式戦を活性化するための戦力均衡にもつながるウエーバー制を導入すべきという意見
 * 有望選手の海外流出懸念に対して、米球界が欲するのは主に日本の球界で実績を残した選手との意見
 * 「希望球団以外なら入団しない」という被指名者側の主張はドラフトの趣旨に反するとの意見.
 * 一般企業等でいうところの、会社（日本野球機構）・部署（球団）という考え方をすれば職業選択の自由の侵害にはならないのではないかという意見


 * 現役選手の自由を尊重する立場
 * 選手の球団選択の自由を議論するのであれば、ドラフト制度ばかりを議論するのではなく、FA制度の拡充をすべきという意見
 * トレード・FA補償等の球団都合による現役選手の移籍についても同様に議論すべきとの意見


 * なお、FA・ポスティングの拡充については、選手会側から強い要望が出されている ものの、球団側・選手会側のいずれにおいても統一契約書を見直し、球団都合による選手移籍に際しても、選手の球団選択の自由を認めるべきとの議論は行われていない.

Famous Draft classes
At the 1968 NPB Draft, several future Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame nominees and other players that represented their generation were selected including: Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima, #1), Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin, #1), Michiyo Arito (Lotte, #1), Osamu Nomura (Taiyo, #1), Senichi Hoshino (Chunichi, #1), Hisashi Yamada (Hankyu, #1), Osamu Higashio (Nishitetsu, #1), Yutaka Ohashi (Toei, #1), Hideji Kato (Hankyu, #2), Yasunori Oshima (Chunichi, #3), Tomehiro Kaneda (Toei, #4), Yutaka Fukumoto (Hankyu, #7), Kinji Shimadani (Chunichi, #9), Hiromitsu Kadota (Hankyu, #12-refused selection), Mitsuru Mahara (Nankai, #4), Mitsuo Inaba (Hiroshima, #6-refused selection), Keiichi Nagasaki (Hanshin, #8-refused selection), Norihiro Mizutani (Chunichi, #2).

Out of the 15 players selected by the Hankyu Braves, Kato, Fukumoto and Kadota all surpassed 2000 career hits while Yamada surpassed 200 career wins. At this draft, the Yomiuri Giants had made public that had they missed out on Tabuchi, they would try to sign Hoshino but instead ended up selecting Osamu Shimano to which a surprised Hoshino famously said "they've just mixed up Hoshi- and Shima- haven't they?". Shimano wouldn't have a big career following his selection but after moving to the Braves and later retiring, he became a pioneer for pro-sports mascots as a suit actor. Furthermore, champion Olympic runner Hideo Iijima was famously selected 9th by the Lotte Orions but went on to have a career in athletics representing Japan at the 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics.

The 1989 draft was another draft with many famous names that would go on to represent their generation. Hideo Nomo was famously selected by 8 teams where rights to negotiate were won by the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. Other top picks and the draft included Kazuhiro Sasaki (Taiyo, #1), Satoru Komiyama (Lotte, #1), Tatsuji Nishimura (Yakult, #1), Minoru Kasai (Hanshin, #1) and Daisuke Motoki (Daiei, #1-refused selection) along with other noted names Tsuyoshi Yoda (Chunichi, #1), Tetsuya Shiozaki (Seibu, #1), Shinji Sasaoka (Hiroshima, #1), Tsutomu Iwamoto (Nippon Ham, #2), Atsuya Furuta (Yakult, #2), Kazuki Inoue (Chunichi, #2), Hiroo Ishii (Kintetsu, #3), Yuji Yoshioka (Giants #3), Takehiro Hashimoto (Daiei, #3), Tomonori Maeda (Hiroshima, #4), Katsuhiko Miyaji (Seibu, #4), Tsuyoshi Shinjo (Hanshin, #5), Hitoshi Taneda (Chunichi, #6), Itsuki Asai (Hiroshima, #6. The draft would include 4 future major leagures in Nomo, Sasaki, Shinjo and Komiyama while many others would go on to be regular contributors for their teams throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

In the year of the 1996 Summer Olympics, 4 of the silver medalists for baseball, Tadahito Iguchi, Makoto Imaoka, Yoshitomo Tani and Nobuhiko Matsunaka were top picks. In the same draft, future stars of the NPB, Michihiro Ogasawara, Kazuhiro Wada, Akinori Iwamura, Masahiko Morino, Makoto Kosaka, Hiroshi Shibahara and Koichi Isobe were drafted in a year where many prolific hitters entered the NPB.

Other successful years include the 1980 born high school aged class of the 1998 Draft and college aged class of 2002 which became named as the Matsuzaka Generation a group of players represented by the success of former major leaguer, Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Niura Issue
At the 1968 summer koshien, Hisao Niura of runners-up, Shizuoka Commercial High School held Korean citizenship. He revealed his intention to drop-out of high school and turn pro, however rules of the draft at the time restricted the drafting of players to "those with Japanese nationality." Those that had graduated from a Japanese high school who were of foreign citizenship were therefore ineligible at the draft. Niura then became the subject of intense bidding in excess of the draft restricted contract bonus of ¥1,000,000 where 6 NPB teams and some Major league teams were involved. as a result, Niura joined the Yomiuri Giants outside of the draft. This became a key case to change the ruling on draft eligibility from "those with Japanese citizenship" to "those that are registered with Japanese schools."

The Arakawa Incident
In 1969, Takashi Arakawa an promising slugger from Waseda University had put forward a condition that he be drafted by either the Yomiuri Giants or the Atoms. His father, Hiroshi Arakawa was a coach with the Giants, while Meiji Jingu Stadium was his home ground as a college player.

The nature of draft selection of the time, where players were assigned to teams based on a pre-selected order, meant that clubs needed to pass on Arakawa for him to be taken by his preferred team. At the 1969 draft, the Atoms were 9th where the Giants were 11th. At the time however, a rumour emerged that Arakawa would play for the Taiyo Whales if the price was right. The Whales were to pick third and predictions were strong from the Chunichi Dragons to select Keniichi Yazawa while the Hanshin Tigers were expected to select Koji Ohta. The Whales expected to draft Jiro Ueda however in an unexpected turn, Ueda was taken by the Tigers. Whales chairman, Kenichi Nakabe objected to taking Ohta as the team would not be able to take advantage of his popularity with female fans given the amount of construction surrounding Kawasaki Stadium. Despite running into opposition within the club, the Whales went to select a player with more latent ability in Takashi Arakawa.

As a result, the Atoms and Giants were no longer able to select Arakawa at their later slots in the draft.

Arakawa turned down the Whales approach and as a result was on the receiving end of threats from Whales fans. However, Arakawa decided to travel to the United States on a study abroad trip and wait for the next draft. During this time, Whales officials reached out to Arakawa while news of teams other than the Giants wanting to select Arakawa came to the fore. Following that news, the Whales went into negotiations with the Atoms and the Giants regarding a possible 3-way trade for Arakawa immediately after he had signed. The Giants however failed to agree to the terms, but the Atoms tried to coax a trade by assigning former Waseda alumni, Osamu Miura to take over as a manager to mentor Arakawa. Miura would then manage the Atoms on the condition that Arakawa was traded to the team.

On 7 October 1970, Arakawa officially signed for the Taiyo Whales only 2 days before the end of the negotiation period. At his presentation to the club, Arakawa was not present and on the same day a trade request with the Atoms was issued to the Central League where on 26 December, Arakawa was unveiled as a Yakult Atoms player. The trade had originally been designed so the Whales would receive a young pitcher, but in the end it was finalized for cash considerations.

At first, Whales club officials had stated that Arakawa would never wear a Taiyo uniform, however the Central League chairman requested that Arakawa participate in training. Immediately after signing, Arakawa participated in training where he was also assigned the jersey number 3.

As the incident was perceived as an attempt to circumvent the draft, penalties were applied to Arakawa and he was banned for his first month of official games in the 1971 season with the Yakult Atoms. As a result, the NPB player agreement was revised to restrict newly drafted players from being traded in their first year of professional baseball. (In 1979 this was loosened to no trades of newly drafted players occurring before opening day as a result of the Suguru Egawa incident)

The Egawa Incident
The Egawa incident (江川事件, Egawa-jiken) was an issue surrounding the eligibility of uncontracted pitcher Suguru Egawa in the lead up to the 1978 Nippon Professional baseball draft where Egawa had signed a contract with the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League circumventing the draft. This issue was also known as the Egawa problem (江川問題, Egawa-mondai) and the blank day. (空白の一日, Kūhaku-no-ichinichi）

The 1973 NPB Draft
Suguru Egawa had captured the imagination of the professional baseball world and the Japanese public with dazzling displays as a Sakushin Gakuin High School student where he famously pitched 9 no-hitters and 3 perfect games in his career. He also broke the record for career strikeouts at the Spring Invitational tournament inviting the vivid interest of NPB teams.

At the 1973 Draft, Egawa was passed on by the Nankai Hawks, Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, Nippon Ham Fighters and Chunichi Dragons in the reverse waiver system of the time in respect of his desire to enter college. However, 6th in the drafting process, the Hankyu Braves selected Egawa thinking their offer could dissuade him from going directly to college. Egawa however turned down their offer, settling for admission to Hosei University after failing the entrance exam for Keio University.

The 1977 NPB Draft
In his senior year of college, Egawa once again made himself available at the 1977 draft. Shining once again on the field, Egawa made declaration of his desire to join the Yomiuri Giants where the team was happy to abide by his request in selecting him first. At the 1977 Draft in November, the same drafting system of reverse waivers took place with the Crown Lighter Lions selecting first and the Giants selecting second. According to Naka Funada, a board member at Sakushin Gakuin High School, all were under the assumption that Egawa would only sign for the Giants and the Lions would sign homegrown talent Fumiaki Kadota making Egawa's selection by the Giants a mere formality. However, with fan attendance dwindling at the Lions, the club made the decision to select the best and most popular player available in Egawa. Unable to sign Egawa, the Giants settled for Waseda University catcher, Kazuhiro Yamakura.

In response to his selection by the Lions, then located in Fukuoka city, Egawa refused to sign with the club saying "Kyushu is too far away". Egawa has later admitted he would have signed with any other Central League club in the Kanto region had he been selected.

In 1978, Egawa, along with a classmate from Sakushin Gakuin, went on a baseball exchange program at the University of Southern California. This choice was made on the basis that if he had joined an industrial league team, he would have had to have completed 2 years of service time before being available to be drafted. Thus, with his study abroad, he could be available for the 1979 Draft. On October 12 1978, the Lions were bought out by Seibu Holdings and moved to Tokorozawa in Saitama prefecture. As the team not being from Kanto was a reason that Egawa turned down the club in the first place, a new approach was mad, however Egawa would not change his mind becoming eligible for the 1979 Draft on 20 November.

The Blank Day
On 20 November 1978, Egawa suddenly returned to Japan and on the following day at the office of Liberal Democratic Party vice-president, Naka Funada, signed a contract with the Yomiuri Giants. The Giants cited the regulations that Egawa was fair game as he was a free agent before the draft and was able to be signed outside of the draft system.

Draft regulations stipulated that players were released from their obligations from previous selection in the draft 2 days before the next season's draft. This article was put in place to ensure that all clubs would be able to prepare for the draft in the case of sudden inclement weather or other obstacles prevent the clubs from participating. Furthermore, draft rules of the time only covered players competing with Japanese high schools, colleges and industrial teams at the time of the draft meaning Egawa wasn't subject to inclusion. In an approach to broaden the catchment of draftable players NPB had adjusted conditions for the draft on 31 July 1978 to players that had experience playing at Japanese high schools, universities and industrial teams. This however would not apply to Egawa as the regulation was set to take place at the following years', 1979 draft.

Despite the Giants discovery of the loophole, Central League chairman, Ryuji Suzuki objected to the contract on the basis that the day was in essence a day to perform administrative tasks and went against the spirit of the player agreement and therefore rejected the Giants attempt to register Egawa with the league. In response to this, the Giants decided to boycott the 1978 draft.

Egawa's Third Draft
Leading up to the draft, no teams had been interested in selecting Egawa due to what looked like a commitment to the Giants, but upon the announcement of the contract's ineligibility, the Nankai Hawks, Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, Lotte Orions and Hanshin Tigers selected Egawa as a contested first pick in the first round of the draft. However, even if the team selected Egawa, there was still a chance of being wrapped up in the courts (Giants representatives had gone on record saying they would look to prosecute anyone who selected "their" player, Egawa) there were many clubs that avoided selecting Egawa. As the new draft rules allowed for multiple selections for first round picks, Egawa was put to lottery among 4 teams where rights to negotiate were awarded to the Hanshin Tigers. However, the Giants prostrated that their contract with Egawa was valid and that "any draft without all 12 NPB clubs in attendance is invalid and Hanshin do not have rights to negotiate with Egawa". The Giants then sought for damages from NPB commissioner, Toshi Kaneko. Furthermore, on 23 November, the Giants lobbied the Tokyo Municipal Court to uphold Egawa's contract with the the team. Giants chairman Tōru Shōriki went as far as claiming that if the NPB would not uphold the Giants right to contract Egawa, that the team would break away from the Central League and create a new league that wasn't influenced by the whims of the draft. As a result, the following year's fixtures were unable to be set as late as the middle of December.

On December 12, Kaneko announced that the Giants had not participated in the draft at their own whim and that the draft results would stand, further stating that the NPB would not recognise Egawa's contract with the Giants and that negotiation rights to Egawa's contract resided with the Hanshin Tigers.

NPB Commissioner's strong request
Kaneko was able to avoid the Giants lawsuit, however at the owner's meeting on 22 December, he put forward a strong request that Hanshin complete the contract with Egawa as normal and immediately trade him to the Giants. This request was in response to the technical correctness of the Giants claim to Egawa and to avoid the Giants leaving the Central League. It was thought that the issue could blow up into something even more troublesome for the NPB and was a provided solution to keep all parties happy. Even though trades of newly drafted players were outlawed by regulations set after the Arakawa incident, Kaneko understanding this, put forward the idea. Following this request, Kaneko came out of the owner's meeting announcing that all clubs were in general agreement however, Hanshin was strongly against the proposal. Hanshin owner, Shojiro Ozu went as far as saying "even if they (the Giants) offered Sadaharu Oh, I will turn them down."

On 27 December, at the arbitration of the previous NPB commissioner, the Giants contract with Egawa created on the "blank day" was declared invalid. Following this, the Tigers were able to officially negotiate a contract, however Egawa's side put forth the condition that he would not sign with the Tigers unless they agreed to trade him to the Giants.

Negotiation Rights Corrections
2005年の高校生ドラフトでは、抽選結果が誤って発表され、後から訂正されるというトラブルが発生した. ドラフト会議で抽選が行われたのは2002年以来3年ぶりであったということがきっかけとなった.

読売ジャイアンツとオリックス・バファローズが大阪桐蔭高等学校の辻内崇伸を1位指名したため、両者の間で抽選が行われた. オリックス・バファローズの中村勝広GMは外れくじを引いたのだが、くじの当たり外れを問わずに押されていたNPBの公式印を交渉権獲得の印と勘違いして当たりくじを引いたと主張したため、オリックス・バファローズが辻内との交渉権を獲得したと発表された.

北海道日本ハムファイターズと福岡ソフトバンクホークスが福岡第一高等学校の陽仲壽を1位指名したために行われた抽選でも、同様に福岡ソフトバンクホークスの王貞治監督が外れくじを当たりと勘違いして、福岡ソフトバンクホークスが陽との交渉権を獲得したと発表された. 北海道日本ハムファイターズのトレイ・ヒルマン監督の引いたくじには「交渉権確定」の印が押されていたのだが、漢字が読めなかったために席に戻った後、高田繁GMの指摘でそれが当たりくじであることが発覚した.

読売ジャイアンツの堀内恒夫監督も同様に当たりくじを引いていたことが分かり、辻内との交渉権は読売ジャイアンツ、陽との交渉権は北海道日本ハムファイターズが獲得と訂正された. これらはNPB側が、実際のくじを確認せずに監督の表情や主張を信じて、そのまま抽選結果として発表してしまったことによる. 2015年のドラフトでも、2005年と同様のトラブルが発生した.

阪神タイガースと東京ヤクルトスワローズが明治大学の高山俊を1位指名したため、両者の間で抽選が行われた. 東京ヤクルトスワローズの真中満監督が外れくじを引いたのだが、ドラフト会議のロゴマークを交渉権獲得の印と勘違いして当たりくじを引いたと思い込みガッツポーズしたため、東京ヤクルトスワローズが高山の交渉権を獲得したと発表された. ところがその直後、ドラフト会議を主催しているNPBの井原敦事務局長が当たりくじの確認ミスがあったとアナウンスし、確認の結果、阪神タイガースの金本知憲監督が当たりくじを引いていたことがわかり、高山の交渉権は阪神タイガースが獲得と訂正された. なお、この時は2005年の事例も踏まえ、事前に抽選用紙の説明がなされていたにも関わらず起きた.

Corporate Sponsorship of the Draft

 * From 2009 to 2012 the draft meeting was sponsored by Toshiba where the name "NPB Draft Meeting supported by TOSHIBA" was adopted. Within the meeting hall, Toshiba monitors were put in place and clubs were supplied with Toshiba laptops. 1000 fans were invited to the public draft, and broadcasting occurred via TBS Television. The timing of the draft was changed from the afternoon to the evening with a selection announcer presiding. The lottery box was made opaque to allow visibility of the selectors hands in the box. At the draw of the ticket and selection, cheers occurred, and after the confirmation of selection interviews with the winning club staff took place in a more showy approach to presenting the draft.
 * Up until 2010, clubs would hand-write their selections, but regulation was introduced to use laptops for inputting selections to save time. The laptops were specially designed Dynabook products emblazened with each teams flag motif. From 2011, Regza Tablets were introduced to show player data.
 * From 2013, the draft became sponsored by Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. and the draft was held as "NPB Draft Meeting supported by Lipovitan D. Computers used a the draft were changed to Japanese made Hewlett Packard laptops.

Draft Records

 * Most sought after player: Hideo Nomo, Hideo Koike (8 teams）
 * Most sought after High School player: Kosuke Fukudome, Kotaro Kiyomiya (7 teams）
 * Most selected first draft pick: Suguru Egawa (3 times）
 * Most selected player: Kimiya Fujisawa (5 times）
 * Most selected player to not be drafted: Kimiya Fujisawa (4 times）
 * Oldest player drafted: Norio Ichimura (30 years, 5 months）
 * Youngest player drafted: Kento Tsujimoto (15 years, 10 months）
 * Lowest ever draft pick: Eiji Shimomura (1965, Hiroshima, #18）

Related articles

 * Major League Baseball draft
 * Draft (sports)