One of many greatest names in MLB free company is reportedly set to choose his team imminently.
That will be 23-year-old Japanese beginning pitcher Roki Sasaki, who opted to forgo a extra profitable payday to pursue his MLB ambitions earlier.
However who’s Sasaki and what ought to baseball followers anticipate from him? Listed below are 10 issues to know in regards to the dynamic right-hander:
1. Roki Sasaki will be the most hyped Japanese prospect to come back stateside in years.
This is not an exaggeration. Sasaki is maybe probably the most coveted prospect to reach from Japan since at the very least Yu Darvish. And that features the extremely touted arrivals of Los Angeles Dodgers beginning pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.
“He’s nearly as good as marketed … He has a super projectable, lean and athletic body,” one international scout said about Sasaki. “He has wonderful arm motion and supply, with three plus energy pitches with management over command. He has No. 1 [starter] upside.”
2. He drew MLB curiosity in 2019 however determined to affix Nippon Skilled Baseball.
Most Japanese gamers who aspire to pursue baseball professionally usually start their careers in Nippon Skilled Baseball (NPB). Sasaki did not wind up changing into an exception, spending his first 4 skilled seasons with NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines.
Nevertheless, he attracted interest from MLB teams as an novice in 2019.
3. Sasaki has a detailed relationship with San Diego Padres’ pitcher Yu Darvish.
One of many causes the Padres are rumored to be finalists for Sasaki is as a result of his mentor and fellow countryman, Yu Darvish, performs in San Diego.
In truth, Sasaki even discovered his signature wipeout slider from Darvish.
