Roki Sasaki sparks major scramble from every MLB team – meet the new Paul Skenes who will barely cost a dime

Japanese pitching prospects are flooding Major League Baseball, and this offseason may see the arrival of the greatest of the lot.

Despite only being 23 years old, Roki Sasaki has the potential to become one of baseball’s top pitchers as soon as he sets foot on an American surface.

Sasaki has played in Japan’s top baseball league, Nippon Professional Baseball, for four years.

Sasaki has pitched to a 2.02 ERA in 69 games throughout his four seasons as the Chiba Lotte Marines’ ace.

Pitching in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which was packed with MLB talent, the young star has also shown off his skills on the international scene.

Sasaki pitched four innings for Japan against Mexico, giving up three runs while recording three strikeouts.

MLB players like Randy Arozarena, Alex Verdugo, and Isaac Paredes are on that Mexico squad.

Sasaki also made a brief cameo in the tournament, pitching 3.2 innings and striking out eight batters against Czechia.

His skill and foresight are comparable to those of Paul Skenes, who entered the major leagues and won Rookie of the Year the season after being selected.

No matter where he signs, Sasaki may continue on the same professional path.

The Japanese star has demonstrated that he is capable of competing in Major League Baseball, and he probably deserves a huge salary.

Sasaki is perhaps a more prized prospect than Yoshinobu Yamamoto, his countryman, who signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.

Sasaki’s posting from the NPB to the MLB is particularly frenetic because he is unable to sign a deal of this magnitude.

Sasaki’s contract has restrictions because he is considered an international amateur free agent due to his age.

Sasaki’s contract cannot be worth more than nine figures due to the restrictions. Additionally, he has a deal with his current squad that expires until 2030.

The Marines will also receive 20% of the guaranteed contract value from whichever team contracts Sasaki.

Like the Orix Buffaloes did with Yamamoto, the Marines could have kept Sasaki for two more years and received a significantly higher payout for his posting.

But early in his career, the team let Sasaki pursue his goal of pitching in America.

Chiba Lotte general manager Naoki Matsumoto said in a statement, “[Sasaki] told us of his dream to play in America from the time he joined the organization.”

We have made the decision to give his ideas top priority after considering the last five years collectively.

“As a representation of Japan, we hope he gives it his all. We’re supporting him.”

When he first joined Major League Baseball in 2017, phenom Shohei Ohtani took a similar route to Sasaki.

Ohtani agreed to a league-minimum salary of $545,000 annually at the time of his signing, along with a $2.3 million bonus.

Because Sasaki’s next deal is so cheap, almost any Major League Baseball team could easily sign the young phenom to their roster.

The current international signing period ends on December 15; Sasaki was posted on November 9. A month later, there will be another signing window for 2025 if he isn’t signed before then.

Sasaki is anticipated to sign in the second period, according to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.

“It kind of looks like the way it’s going to shake out that the signing there, just because of the timing, will happen in the new pool period,” he stated.

As is typically the case with Japanese players, the West Coast teams are among the favorites, however there is little information on where Sasaki would like to go.

Although the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants are also interested in Sasaki, the Dodgers are thought to be the front-runners to match him with his Samurai Japan teammates Ohtani and Yamamoto.

The international sensation has drawn interest from the New York Mets and Yankees on the East Coast, but it is unlikely that either team will sign him.