Stud Arms In Nippon:

A Pair of Future MLB Stars

By: Michael A. Chase Jr.

07/13/2023

Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are two names baseball fans should and will continue to come to know well. This is because these are two of the best pitchers in the world that do not play in Major League Baseball currently. Both young arms call Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) home at the moment and are generating plenty of buzz internationally. This has many MLB franchises anticipating their eventual international posting so the bidding war can begin. Firstly, it is only right to introduce these two superstar Japanese pitchers, to best showcase what future studs your MLB franchise will be in the sweepstakes for in the coming years.

Starting with Yoshinobu Yamamoto this 24-year-old right-handed pitcher is set to become one of the highly sought-after international free-agents this coming offseason. Yamamoto is finishing up his 7th full season in the NPB. Yamamoto has played all 7 of his seasons with the Orix Buffaloes putting together a stacked resume. He has pitched to a career 1.94 ERA in the NPB, including working on his third straight season with a sub-2.00 ERA. Yamamoto is also on track to post a sub-3.00 ERA for the 7th consecutive season. He has shown consistent improvement each season, with his 2021 campaign being his best statistical season to date. He posted an 18-5 record with a 1.39 ERA over 193.2 innings with 206 strikeouts to just 41 walks. His performance has been key to the Buffaloes success as he was a part of their 2022 Championship club and the 2021 club that finished Runner-Up. In terms of individual accomplishments, he has a trophy case full of achievements. Yamamoto is a 2x Pacific League MVP, a 3x ERA Champion, a 2x Eiji Sawamura Award winner, and has won two Gold Gloves and two Pitching Triple Crowns. He also threw a no-hitter on June 18th of last year. Plus got to pitch in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Team Japan provided more exposure for this rising international star. Overall, quite the pitching resume that is hard to top and has him as one of the top free agents in 2024.

His pitching repertoire consists of a fastball that can touch 99 miles per hour. This is to go with a splitter that is described as an elite secondary pitch, along with a cutter and curveball to round out his arsenal. The durability he has displayed is also an enticing feature of his player profile with no notable injury concerns to worry about. Yamamoto will have plenty of MLB suitors banging down his door for his services. From big names clubs like the Red Sox and Dodgers reportedly already scouting him his prospects to be in the MLB next year seem high.

Roki Sasaki is still a couple of years away before he can be available to MLB teams to inquire about his services, but that does not mean the hype isn't palpable. Sasaki is in his 3rd season in the NPB playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines. The young righty has taken the international circuit by storm and has plenty of scouts keeping their eye on him as he fulfills his playing obligations within the NPB. Sasaki still has until about the 2027 season to be posted internationally by Chiba Lotte, but his performance thus far has been eye-catching. In his two-plus seasons, Sasaki is pitching to a similar career ERA as Yamamoto of 1.94. This while posting an 18-8 record to go along with 348 strikeouts to just 56 walks in 264.2 innings. His best year was last season when he compiled a 9-4 record with a 2.02 ERA over 129.1 innings with 173 strikeouts to just 25 walks in 2022. The fact he posted ERAs of 1.84 in his age 19 season and then 2.02 as a 20-year-old show the elite level he was pitching at to professional hitters at an early age. Sasaki has also racked up a couple of notable accomplishments that further boost his still-developing resume. Sasaki tossed the 17th-ever perfect game in Nippon Professional Baseball while tying a single-game record with 19 strikeouts in the historic effort – including an NPB record 13 consecutive strikeouts. Sasaki also pitched for Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic helping Japan win gold while making two starts. Like Yamamoto, he stood out and generated buzz with his explosive repertoire that will make a prospect that will have the attention of many clubs.

Specifically for his pitching repertoire, Sasaki's fastball is the most alluring weapon in his pitch arsenal. As it averages 98.4 miles per hour, and it has topped out a 102.5 MPH this season. He also possesses a forkball, curveball, and slider to round out his pitch mix – one that has helped him dominate. Sasaki still has a couple seasons before being eligible to be posted as an international free agent. That does not mean the anticipation by MLB clubs and fans is not noticeable. Sasaki already has so many eyes on him and is flourishing in the spotlight. Now we will see as his career moves forward how he further develops as a gifted starter.

Overall while fans stateside still have some time to wait before these two come to the MLB it is still worth highlighting their brilliance on the international stage. Now that we know a little about these two talented arms as fans and observers alike, we can appreciate them from afar while awaiting hopefully their arrival to our favorite MLB club.