KOBE (Kyodo) Female professional knuckleballer Eri Yoshida, who played this season in the Kansai Independent League with the Kobe 9 Cruise, said on her blog Tuesday she will participate in the Arizona Winter League starting in January.
"After much consideration and feeling this allure to play, I made a decision to participate with the hope of pursuing a new challenge and gaining actual experience," Yoshida said on her blog.
The 17-year-old Yoshida went 0-2 in 11 games for the Kobe club while taking home study courses for a high school diploma.
Players who take part in the Arizona Winter League usually aim to get pro contracts in the major leagues or independent leagues in North America. The short-season instructional league, in which about 20 games are played, runs from the end of January until March.