Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (14) delivers a pitch during the first inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
A report from Nikkon Sports, a Japanese newspaper with a daily circulation of over 1.6 million, indicated Friday that "numerous [Phillies] scouts made numerous visits to Japan this year," and that "top-level members of the organization repeatedly checked out leading players such as Giants pitcher Tomoyuki Kanno (35) and Lotte pitcher [Roki] Sasaki (23) in person."
The Japanese-language headline of the report translates roughly to, "The Phillies, a powerhouse in the East, will enter the Japanese market. Already have exclusive scouts in Japan. Repeated checks on leading players."
Full Article (In Japanese): https://t.co/bFLvFcioO2
Sasaki will be the most intriguing Japanese player to join Major League Baseball this offseason. He has a triple-digit fastball and, despite his young age, his accomplishments overseas are already legendary. In an extremely high-profile high school tournament, Sasaki threw a 12-inning, 21-strikeout, 194-pitch complete game. And since joining the Nippon Professional League (NPL), his stats are extraordinary:
Roki Sasaki career stats:
414.2 IP
2.02 ERA
524 K
0.883 WHIP
Do you envision the 22 year-old RHP landing in Queens this winter? pic.twitter.com/obgHlW5TWB
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Saturday that Sasaki's NPL club, the Chiba Lotte Marines, initiated the "posting" process, "paving the way for the 23-year-old to join Major League Baseball in 2025."
Passan's piece is well worth reading for those interested in the intricacies of the posting process. But, in short, any of MLB's 30 teams can sign Sasaki as an international amateur free agent. And because of certain timing issues, all teams will be able to afford the several-million dollar cap on Sasaki's permissible initial contract. The pursuit of Sasaki will come down to a recruiting exercise.
The Phillies haven't had any success luring Japanese stars to Citizens Bank Park. Passan's article doesn't even mention the Phils as a potential landing spot. West coast teams have a built-in geographical advantage, as well as experience helping players with the transition. But the Nikkon Sports report suggests that the Phillies will at least make a strong effort. They may also look to sign talented, but less exciting players such as Kanno to build inroads in the Japanese market.
The Marines posted the following statement to twitter on Saturday:
The exact timing of Sasaki's posting this offseason has not yet been determined. Once the posting is official, he will have 45 days to agree to a contract with an MLB team.
