Overview
- Rakuten announced on November 18 that it reached a contract agreement with Hikaru Ito after he exercised his overseas free-agent rights from DeNA.
- The team set a formal entry press conference for December 10 to present the signing.
- Club messaging frames the move as an effort to strengthen the catching group and elevate internal competition.
- Ito appeared in six games this season and has 1,063 career appearances, with Best Nine and Golden Glove honors in 2014.
- His estimated salary this season was ¥52 million, and reports indicate no transfer compensation is expected.