Highly sought-after infielder Takaya Ishikawa, whom the Chunichi Dragons signed after winning his rights in a three-way first-round draft lottery, has been diagnosed with inflammation in the rotator cuff of his left shoulder and held out of practice Chunichi Sports reported.

Ishikawa has been impressive in spring training. Although his feet lack elite quickness, he has soft hands and is looking slightly more fluid in the field than he did as a high school third baseman. He’s also demonstrated a good approach at the plate. The Dragons have been testing him at shortstop, which doesn’t seem like a starting position for him, but he hasn’t embarrassed himself there.

Here’s my scouting report on Ishikawa based on video of him in high school and with Japan’s Under-18 national team at last summer’s World Cup.

He also looks like he spent the winter working on his upper body strength. Last summer, it looked as if most of his strength training had been to build up his legs, but his upper body is filling out quickly. It wouldn’t surprise me if the injury is related to the combination of weight training and too many swings in camp, but who knows.

and Adam Jones

Jones took live BP today against Orix right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and practiced his strikeout call.