Yokohama DeNA BayStars Pitcher Masumi Hamachi Earns Promotion to Active Roster

On July 10, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars announced that they have signed pitcher Masumi Hamachi to a major league contract, upgrading him from his previous development-level agreement. He will wear the number 52 jersey.

Hamachi, formerly of the Hanshin Tigers, joined the BayStars via the 2024 active player draft. After being moved to a development contract at the end of the 2025 season, he displayed remarkable perseverance, fighting his way back to the major roster. This season, he has recorded an impressive 1.99 ERA over 23 appearances in the farm league, a stellar performance that earned him this promotion.

Commenting on his promotion, Hamachi expressed his gratitude, stating, "I am filled with gratitude for all the support I have received to reach this point. Now, I will work hard to repay that support with my results on the field."

On the same day, the club also announced the departure of pitcher J. Duplantier, who will undergo right elbow surgery, effectively creating an opening on the 70-man roster. Fans have taken to social media to celebrate Hamachi's return, with many expressing hope that he will become a key player in the bullpen for the second half of the season. His return adds a proven right-handed relief arm that could prove vital as the BayStars navigate a tightly contested pennant race.

The context

In Japanese professional baseball (NPB), clubs maintain a two-tier roster system: the "major" roster (haichi-ka) and the "development" roster (ikusei). Players on development contracts receive lower salaries and cannot play in official top-tier league games. The "active player draft" (gen-eki draft) is a system introduced in 2022 that allows teams to trade players who are not seeing much playing time, providing them with fresh opportunities to revitalize their careers with different organizations.

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