Expected to be the most coveted rookie free agent since Shohei Ohtani, Japanese pitcher Rocky Sasaki has been cleared by his Japanese team to pitch this winter, the first step in his journey to the Major Leagues.
Sasaki explained his decision to leave Nippon Professional Baseball on the Chiba Lotte Marines Twitter/X account on Saturday:
#Aki Sasaki We would like to inform you that we have decided to begin by announcing the process of sending a pitcher to a Major League Baseball (MLB) team in the United States.
▼Commentary from team manager Matsumoto… pic.twitter.com/iwEjGoUS1C
– Chiba Lotte Marines (@chibalotte) November 9, 2024
“Since joining the team, the team has heard my thoughts on my upcoming MLB call-up and I am very grateful to the team for allowing me to officially announce,” Sasaki said in a statement. Posted by Marines on Twitter/X.
“Many things did not go well during my five years with the Mariners, but I got to this point by focusing solely on baseball, with the support of my teammates, staff, management and fans. “I will do my best to finish my small contract and be the best player in the world so that I do not regret my only career in baseball and live up to the expectations of everyone who has supported me.”
MIAMI, FL – MARCH 20: Rocky Sasaki #14 of Team Japan during the 2023 World Baseball Classic semifinal game against Team Mexico at LoanDepot Park on March 20, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Sasaki Chiba Lotte will be hired by the Mariners, allowing him to play in the MLB.
Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images
Sasaki is only 23 years old. Due to his age and lack of professional experience in Japan, he is subject to Major League Baseball’s international amateur signing rules. He’s not set to make much money as a free agent, but he’s subject to each team’s international signing bonus money limit.
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MLB rules for international fans also limit how much money Chiba Lotte can collect in exchange for the Mariners’ placement of Sasaki. On January 15, a new international transfer period opens. According to Baseball America7.555 million dollars, the most Sasaki could sign at that time.
However, once Sasaki is officially inducted, he will have a 45-day window to sign with a Major League team. If that window closes before Jan. 15, his salary will be tied to the limits of the teams’ 2024 international amateur bonus pool.
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In theory, Sasaki will be eligible for free agency at age 29, after six years of major league service.
Shohei Ohtani followed the same process when he left NPB to sign with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017. Six years later, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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The Dodgers are seen as the favorites to land Sasaki, who last winter signed Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract. Like Yamamoto, Sasaki would be represented by Wasserman.
Between his age and relative cheapness, the market for Sasaki is strong, and teams are often unable to enter the free agent bidding process to secure his services.
At age 20, Sasaki had a 19-hit game for Lotte in 2022. In his next start, he had another eight perfect innings. In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, his fastball stayed at 100 miles per hour. Sasaki was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 starts for Chiba Lotte in 2024, with 129 strikeouts in 111 innings.
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