Nippon Professional Baseball announced the return of Kyosuke Takagi, found guilty of gambling, to professional baseball on Monday, when the reliever's former club, the Yomiuri Giants, signed him to a developmental contract.

Takagi was handed a one-year suspension on March 22 last year after he was found to have bet on a handful of baseball games at the urging of a Giants teammate. He was immediately fired by the Giants.

The Central League club on Thursday filed an application with NPB for his reinstatement, a day after Takagi's suspension ended. The 27-year-old will be the first player to resume his professional career after being suspended for betting on baseball, according to NPB.