Nigeria national baseball and softball head coach Shinya Tomonari says the country possesses an encouraging pool of talent as his technical crew intensifies its search for players capable of driving Nigeria’s ambitious push towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Tomonari and his coaching team have been using the ongoing National Baseball and Softball League in Abuja to identify and assess potential national-team players, with the Japanese tactician impressed by what he has seen despite the sport still developing in Nigeria.
“We are scouting the players and identifying the talents that can be part of the national team,” Tomonari said.
The coach believes the quality emerging from the domestic competition provides something to build upon, with the next stage focused on developing those selected to meet the demands of international baseball.
“I have been impressed with the talents that I have seen here,” he added, stressing that the technical crew intends to coach and develop the most promising players rather than simply identify them.
Tomonari’s appointment forms part of the Nigerian Baseball and Softball Association’s attempt to build a national programme capable of pursuing qualification for LA 2028. The Japan-Africa Baseball & Softball Foundation, which he represents, confirmed his appointment as Nigeria national-team head coach in June.
The Japanese coach brings extensive experience in African baseball development. His work on the continent dates back to 1994, when he began coaching and promoting the sport in Ghana, while his wider development efforts have since extended across several African countries.
Tomonari has also had a longstanding relationship with Nigerian baseball. In 2022, the Nigerian Baseball and Softball Association and the Japan-Africa Baseball & Softball Foundation signed a five-year development partnership aimed at expanding the sport in the country.
With baseball returning to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028, Tomonari believes Nigeria must now turn promising raw talent into players capable of competing internationally.
For the coach and his technical crew, **the journey towards LA 2028 has therefore started with one crucial assignment — finding Nigeria’s best baseball talent and developing it for the bigger stage.**
