Jumpei Akanuma is a 26-year-old Japanese pitcher chasing his pro baseball dreams in the Frontier League, far from the spotlight of the major leagues.

He plays for the Schaumburg Boomers in the United States' largest and longest-running independent league, having returned to the Illinois-based team after a 2½ year hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent delays with his visa.

Schaumburg Boomers right-hander Jumpei Akanuma pitches in the independent Frontier League in Schaumburg, Illinois, in May. | KYODO
Schaumburg Boomers right-hander Jumpei Akanuma pitches in the independent Frontier League in Schaumburg, Illinois, in May. | KYODO