TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. (Kyodo) Seibu Lions shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima has agreed to return to the team next season, a senior club official said Friday.

There had been media reports that the 28-year-old Nakajima, a member of Japan's 2009 World Baseball Classic-winning team, would try to sign with a major league club through the posting system this winter.

Nakajima hit .314 with 20 homers and 93 RBIs in 130 games this past season for second-place Seibu. He is a career .302 hitter with 133 home runs and 564 RBIs in nine years, all with the Lions.