Osaka Toin's Spring Koshien Victory: 'Hochi High School Baseball May Issue' on Sale from Wednesday, April 8

Hochi Shimbun (President: Tsuyoshi Hasegawa), publisher of Sports Hochi, will release the 'Hochi High School Baseball May Issue' (Price: 950 yen including tax), the wrap-up issue for the 98th Spring Koshien Tournament, sequentially nationwide starting April 8. It looks back at the tournament full of talking points, such as Osaka Toin claiming their 5th victory—tying the record for the most spring titles—and the introduction of the DH system, accompanied by powerful photographs. It can be purchased at bookstores nationwide, online bookstores, and Shop Hochi (https://shop.hochi.co.jp/). Orders are also accepted at YC (Yomiuri Shimbun delivery centers). ## Chiben Gakuen Pitcher Mahiro Sugimoto Selected as Magazine's MVP Chiben Gakuen's tough lefty, Pitcher Mahiro Sugimoto, was selected as this magazine's MVP. We get up close to the inside story of his pitching that defeated powerhouse after powerhouse, despite narrowly finishing as the runner-up. We also included plenty of coverage on the outstanding performances of players like Osaka Toin's sophomore lefty Haruto Kawamoto, who clocked a maximum speed of 151 km/h and became the winning pitcher, and Yamanashi Gakuin's slugger Yosei Komoda, who hit a spectacular arching home run in the first game. Furthermore, a special feature on the DH system, introduced for the first time in a Koshien tournament, is included. It is packed with players' feelings and data. As in previous years, we also publish passionate battle reports on all 31 games of the tournament. ## Featuring Players to Watch for the Summer 'Prospects' In the must-see 'Prospects' section for the summer, in addition to feature articles on 9 highly talked-about players, such as Takaoka Daiichi's lefty Yudai Maeda, a candidate for the U-18 Japan National Team, and Narua Kokubo, whose uncle is SoftBank manager Hiroki Kokubo, we have posted a list of notable players from each region. In 'NEXT STAGE', which follows the career paths of the baseball boys who graced our magazine, we delve into the thoughts of players like Daichi Serizawa, a lefty with a top speed of 151 km/h who advanced from unknown public school Kozoji (Aichi) to corporate baseball powerhouse Yamaha. ## Title: 'Hochi High School Baseball May 2026 Issue' Release Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 Price: 950 yen (Base price 864 yen + tax) Publisher: Hochi Shimbun Format: AB size, 116 pages Sales: [In-store] Bookstores nationwide, YC (Yomiuri Shimbun delivery centers) [Online] Shop Hochi https://shop.hochi.co.jp/ Various online bookstores ▶ Sports Hochi High School Baseball Information https://hochi.news/baseball/hsb/