Roki Sasaki, the supremely gifted 23-year-old pitcher posted by the Chiba Lotte Marines last month, is signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Sasaki announced his decision on Instagram on Friday.
“I have signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers,” he wrote in the post, which was accompanied by a photo of a Dodgers hat. “It was a very difficult decision. I will do my best to make sure that when I look back after my baseball career is over, I will think it was the right decision.”
Sasaki is considered one of the most talented young pitchers on the planet.
He can hit 164 kph(102 mph) with his fastball and has a devastating splitter in his arsenal. He was 29-15 with a 2.35 ERA in four seasons with the Marines. He struck out 505 batters, including a career-best 173 — in 129⅓ innings — in 2022.
The Marines posted Sasaki on Dec. 9, and the Dodgers were considered favorites to sign him.
Over 20 clubs made detailed pitches to the young star, and reports said he eventually whittled his list down to the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays.
Ultimately, Sasaki will join the defending World Series champions, who signed his Samurai Japan teammates Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason.