Roki Sasaki’s MLB Move Could Disrupt Latin American Baseball Market

NEW YORK (AP) — Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki is set to enter Major League Baseball’s international amateur free agency pool, potentially triggering a ripple effect across Latin America’s baseball landscape. The 23-year-old right-hander, who has dazzled in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, can sign with MLB teams during a nine-day window starting Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

Sasaki’s decision could upend the plans of hundreds of Latin American teenagers who have already secured unofficial agreements with MLB teams. These handshake deals, often worth millions, are now in limbo as teams scramble to free up bonus pool money to pursue the Japanese star. The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays are among the frontrunners to sign Sasaki.

Under MLB rules, Sasaki is classified as an international amateur due to his age and limited NPB experience. This restricts him to a minor league contract with a signing bonus capped by MLB’s international spending limits. Teams are allocated bonus pools ranging from $5.1 million to $7.6 million for the 2025 signing period, which includes players born between Sept. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008.

Last year, 546 international amateurs signed from the Dominican Republic, followed by 365 from Venezuela and 52 from Mexico. Many of these players, some as young as 14, have already secured verbal agreements with MLB teams. However, signing Sasaki could force teams to renege on these deals, leaving young players in precarious positions.

“The system is designed to create competition, but it also creates uncertainty for players who’ve been promised life-changing money,” said a source familiar with the international signing process. “Teams are holding off on finalizing deals to see if they can land Sasaki.”

Sasaki’s talent is undeniable. During the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he showcased his elite fastball, throwing 21 of 66 pitches over 100 mph, including a 101.9 mph heater. In NPB, he boasts a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA and has thrown a perfect game. If he signs with an MLB team, he could earn the league minimum of $760,000 in 2025, with arbitration eligibility starting in 2027 and free agency in 2030.

The Chiba Lotte Marines, Sasaki’s NPB team, will receive a release fee equal to 25% of his signing bonus. This mirrors the path taken by Shohei Ohtani, who signed with the Angels in 2018 after a similar posting process. Ohtani, now with the Dodgers, sacrificed early earnings for the chance to play in MLB, a decision that has paid off handsomely.

As the signing period opens, teams are expected to trade bonus pool money to maximize their chances of landing Sasaki. The stakes are high, not just for Sasaki but for the hundreds of young players whose futures hang in the balance.