When the Nippon Ham Fighters signed Nippon Sport Science University two-way player Kota Yazawa, their top draft choice last autumn, expectations were high that the team, armed with the experience of Shohei Ohtani’s development into a two-way star, would have a viable roadmap for the youngster’s first pro season. If they did, it didn’t work.

Yazawa, who is shorter, smaller and four years older than Ohtani was in his first year out of high school, found himself practicing to excess and losing muscle mass.