Yusei Kikuchi, a left-handed pitcher for Hanamaki Higashi High School, stretches during a workout at the school in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 28, 2009. Kikuchi, who threw the fastest pitch for a high-school lefty, braced for the draft the following day where a number of professional teams are likely to name him as their first-round choice. (Kyodo)