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One of the biggest names in MLB free agency has officially chosen his new team.
That would be 23-year-old Japanese starting pitcher Roki Sasaki, who opted to forgo a more lucrative payday to pursue his MLB ambitions earlier. According to an announcement on his Instagram page, Sasaki is joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But who is Sasaki and what should baseball fans expect from him? Here are 10 things to know about the dynamic right-hander:
1. Roki Sasaki may be the most hyped Japanese prospect to come stateside in years.
This isn’t an exaggeration. Sasaki is perhaps the most coveted prospect to arrive from Japan since at least Yu Darvish. And that includes the highly touted arrivals of Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani.
“He’s as good as advertised … He has an ideal projectable, lean and athletic frame,” one international scout said about Sasaki. “He has excellent arm action and delivery, with three plus power pitches with control over command. He has No. 1 [starter] upside.”
2. He drew MLB interest in 2019 but decided to join Nippon Professional Baseball.
Most Japanese players who aspire to pursue baseball professionally typically begin their careers in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Sasaki didn’t wind up becoming an exception, spending his first four professional seasons with NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines.
However, he attracted interest from MLB teams as an amateur in 2019.
3. Sasaki has a close relationship with San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish.
One of the reasons the Padres were rumored to be finalists for Sasaki is because his mentor and fellow countryman, Yu Darvish, plays in San Diego.
In fact, Sasaki even learned his signature wipeout slider from Darvish.
