DALLAS -- The offseason’s most intriguing international free-agent story is unfolding around 23-year-old Roki Sasaki, a right-handed pitcher with a fastball that touches 101 mph and a decorated career in Japan. As teams across Major League Baseball prepare for his eventual signing, one question dominates: where will Sasaki land, and what will shape his decision?
Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, spoke at the Winter Meetings on Tuesday, shedding light on the pitcher’s thought process. The Phillies, often mentioned as strong contenders for Sasaki’s services, have expressed interest but have yet to secure Japanese talent in recent years. Nevertheless, sources confirm the Phillies had scouts present during Sasaki’s 2024 season with the Chiba Lotte Marines, keeping a close watch on his development.
On November 9, Chiba Lotte announced that they planned to make Sasaki available for posting, but they waited until just before the posting period ended. As a 23-year-old, Sasaki qualifies as an international amateur under MLB rules. This classification means he can only sign a minor league contract, which will be subject to MLB’s international signing bonus pools—typically reserved for younger, 16-year-old Latin American players.
The 2024 signing period ends on Sunday, and the 2025 period will begin on January 15. Team signing pools for 2024 range from $7,555,500 to $5,146,200. The team that signs Sasaki will also be required to pay a posting fee to Chiba, which will be 25% of Sasaki's signing bonus.
“He’s very much aware of the success of different MLB teams, both historically and recently,” Wolfe said. “He watches a lot of MLB, paying attention to what his teammates from the World Baseball Classic have done. He’s curious about things like weather, comfort, and pitching development. He’s tracking what Japanese players are doing in the league.”
Among those players are Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Yu Darvish—all stars on teams with deep playoff aspirations. However, Sasaki, classified as an amateur free agent due to his youth and limited professional experience, will not negotiate a deal of the magnitude seen with Yamamoto, who secured a 12-year, $325 million contract. Sasaki remains bound by MLB’s international bonus pool system, which resets on January 15. Both Sasaki and the Chiba Lotte have a strong incentive to wait until after that date to finalize a deal.
The decision will likely come down to finding the right mix of opportunity, development, and team fit. While the Phillies lack a history of bringing over Japanese talent, they offer a team already in contention with a win-now mentality.
Will the Phillies' lack of a Japanese player in recent years affect their pursuit of Sasaki?
“I have that same question for him,” Wolfe said. “I’m interested to see how he feels about whether he wants to be the first, or one of the first, in a place that hasn’t had a Japanese player in quite some time.”
That question could carry weight for Sasaki, who could become a trailblazer for the Phillies in their ongoing efforts to expand their international reach.
Multiple sources believe the Phillies, among other teams, will submit presentations for Sasaki to review in the coming days.
"We don't tell the teams what to include in these presentations," Wolfe said. "It's a litmus test, really."
Despite concerns about his durability, following an oblique injury in 2023 and right-arm inflammation in 2024, Sasaki’s raw ability remains undeniable. This is the same pitcher who, at just 17 years old, threw nearly 500 pitches in an eight-day span, including a 12-inning, 194-pitch complete game in which he also hit the game-winning two-run homer. His fastball regularly sits in the 98-100 mph range, and his devastating splitter is a key component of his repertoire.
A 2019 NPB Draft first overall pick, Sasaki quickly made an impact with a sub-2.00 ERA in his 2021 rookie season. In 2022, he became a sensation after tossing 17 consecutive perfect innings. Now, Sasaki has his sights set on MLB, where scouts continue to be captivated by his electric stuff.
Though his velocity dipped slightly in 2024 (from 98 mph to 96 mph), Sasaki remains a dominant presence on the mound. His ability to adjust and continue growing as a pitcher has MLB teams, including the Phillies, salivating.
Despite concerns about his durability, following an oblique injury in 2023 and right-arm inflammation in 2024, Sasaki’s raw ability remains undeniable. This is the same pitcher who, at just 17 years old, threw nearly 500 pitches in an eight-day span, including a 12-inning, 194-pitch complete game in which he also hit the game-winning two-run homer. His fastball regularly sits in the 98-100 mph range, and his devastating splitter is a key component of his repertoire.
A 2019 NPB Draft first overall pick, Sasaki quickly made an impact with a sub-2.00 ERA in his 2021 rookie season. In 2022, he became a sensation after tossing 17 consecutive perfect innings. Now, Sasaki has his sights set on MLB, where scouts continue to be captivated by his electric stuff.
Though his velocity dipped slightly in 2024 (from 98 mph to 96 mph), Sasaki remains a dominant presence on the mound. His ability to adjust and continue growing as a pitcher has MLB teams, including the Phillies, salivating.
