Nippon Professional Baseball’s Hiroshima Carp announced on October 1 that they will not re-sign Kaito Kozono, Masaya Yano, Seita Maekawa, and Shunsuke Tamura for the 2027 season.

The news follows a year of turmoil within the organization that began with infielder Ryutaro Hatsuki’s release in February following his arrest for the use of etomidate, a designated drug in Japan commonly referred to as “zombie cigarettes” when consumed through a vape.

Carp executive Kiyoaki Suzuki said the organization found it difficult to rebuild trust with the four players as it prepares for next season under manager Takahiro Arai.

It is a shocking fall from grace for Kozono, who entered the 2026 campaign as one of the faces of the franchise. "I only have gratitude to the organization," Kozono told reporters. "I'm not thinking at all about what happens from here."

The decision includes several players who had been expected to feature in Hiroshima’s future. Kozono, 26, won the Central League batting title in 2025 and was a member of Samurai Japan’s 2024 Premier12 and 2026 World Baseball Classic squad. Yano, 27, was a former Gold Glove-winning shortstop, while Tamura, 23, was considered an up-and-coming talent.

The announcement comes during NPB’s annual release-notice period, when clubs inform players that they will not be offered contracts for the following season. A few notable players have already been cut — such as Chiba Lotte Marines former captain Shogo Nakamura or former Chunichi Dragons top prospect Kenta Bright — but Kozono’s release would have been unthinkable just a year ago.

In May, Hatsuki went live on TikTok and alleged that five other Hiroshima players had also purchased etomidate. He further accused the team of fostering an old-school culture of bullying and hazing, including an incident in which a senior teammate allegedly burned his neck with a heated fork.

In the following months, the Carp conducted an internal investigation while cooperating with local police as the scandal continued to consume the team.

Yano was removed from the active roster in July after leaked photographs surfaced showing him socializing with Ryosuke Takiguchi, the man accused of supplying Hatsuki with etomidate. Kozono and Tamura also appeared in the photos, though the images alone did not establish that any of the players used the drug.

NPB does not officially have a restricted list, but Yano’s status effectively served that purpose, as he has not appeared in a game since July 15. Maekawa was also implicated in the investigation and was deactivated on July 30, when the Carp announced that police had searched the residences of both players.

Yano and Maekawa were referred to prosecutors on September 25 on suspicion of receiving and possessing etomidate, respectively. Both reportedly deny the allegations.

Kozono and Tamura continued to play after the photographs were published. Whether the off-field distractions contributed, Kozono had a down year, hitting just .257 with an 88 OPS+ in 101 games, compared with .309 and a 127 OPS+ over 138 games last season.

He was demoted to the minors in mid-August and dominated the competition with a .380/.427/.522 slash line, but was not called back up, with the scandal possibly contributing to that decision. Tamura made only four appearances with the top team in 2026, all in May.

Just a year ago, a future Carp infield featuring Tamura, Hatsuki, Yano, and Kozono seemed like a strong foundation, but all four will be gone in 2027. Of the players caught up in the scandal, Kozono and Tamura appear to have the clearest paths to continuing their NPB careers.

From a baseball standpoint, another NPB club should give Kozono a chance this offseason, but whether teams are willing to accept the controversy that could follow him into the clubhouse and the potential public backlash remains to be seen.