野球選手になるには？仕事内容や必要な資格などを解説！

A goal-oriented person. People who are confident in their athletic ability.

Professional baseball players earn their income by signing contracts with professional baseball teams and playing in their games. Professional baseball in Japan is centered on the Central League and Pacific League (six teams each), which are affiliated with the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) organization. There are also an increasing number of independent leagues throughout the country that are not affiliated with the NPB, and opportunities to become a professional baseball player are increasing.

The first step to becoming a professional baseball player is to play on a high school, college, or adult baseball team. If you catch the eye of a scout from a baseball team, you can be selected at the draft meeting and join the professional ranks. There are also nominations from independent leagues. Since it is the job of professional baseball players to play at their best and attract spectators, it is essential for them to stay in good physical condition during the season to avoid injury or illness.

キッズネットオリジナルの「なるためチャート」だよ！野球選手の仕事につくための主な進路の例や必要な情報を図解しているよ。ぜひ参考にしてみてね！

Major League Baseball, the professional baseball league in the United States, is said to be the world's highest level and is the object of admiration for baseball players. Some Japanese baseball players have taken up the challenge of playing on this dream stage, and have excited the whole country with their "two-faced" style as pitchers and hitters. The success of professional baseball players is no longer limited to Japan. The United States, South Korea, Taiwan, other Asian countries, Central American countries, Europe, and African countries that have not been able to provide a conducive environment for baseball are beginning to take up the sport with the support of Japan and other countries. The number of opportunities for baseball players to go abroad seems to be increasing.

The average annual salary (income per year) for Japanese players is a high 41.74 million yen in FY2021, according to the official website of the Japan Professional Baseball Players' Association, but the minimum salary for second-team players is 4.2 million yen. However, the minimum salary for second-team players is 4.2 million yen. Even so, it is a harsh world in which players are subject to termination of their contracts if their performance does not improve.

Professional baseball players have one day off per week, mainly on Mondays, but sometimes this is used for travel to the next game site or for training, so major players rarely have a day off during the season. In the off-season, after a short rest, many of the players train on their own.

The home stadiums of the 12 teams belonging to the NPB, the independent leagues, local stadiums, and stadiums used by Major League Baseball and other foreign leagues.