Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old Japanese pitching phenom, has officially been posted and will start meeting with MLB teams next week. As an international free agent, he is subject to amateur signing bonus restrictions and the bonus pool, which will limit his initial earning potential. Sasaki will need to sign a minor league deal, in which an agreement will not take place until January 15 at the earliest, when the new international free agency period officially begins.
When news broke that Roki Sasaki would be posted, many speculated that he would sign with a big-market team like the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Diego Padres. A deal on the West Coast, where there is a strong Japanese baseball presence, would offer significant endorsement opportunities. However, those rumors have been put to rest by Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, as at Winter Meetings he said, “There were some accusations, allegations, all of them false made about predetermined deals, things like that.”
Here, we take a look at more comments made by Roki Sasaki’s agent and three reasons as to why the Milwaukee Brewers chances of signing him are higher than expected.
Three reasons why the Milwaukee Brewers have a better shot at landing Roki Sasaki than initially thought
- “I think that there’s an argument to be made that a smaller, mid-market team might be more beneficial for him as a soft landing.”
Joel Wolfe, who has only known Roki Sasaki for just over two years, admitted that it has been challenging to fully understand Sasaki’s decision-making process when it comes to choosing a team. However, Wolfe shared that a smaller-market team could be an ideal fit for Sasaki, citing his past struggles with the media as a key factor. Wolfe believes that a less intense media environment would be more beneficial for Sasaki. Milwaukee checks that box.
- “He asks a lot of questions about pitching development”
A key factor in Roki Sasaki’s decision on which team to sign with will be how well the organization develops pitchers. While Sasaki has immense talent and a proven track record in Japan, finding the right team to help him adjust to the majors and refine his skills is clearly important to him. This could give the Milwaukee Brewers an edge, thanks to their investment in a state-of-the-art pitching lab in Arizona and their history of developing pitchers.
- “I can say he has paid attention to how teams have done as far as overall success both this year and in years past.”
This quote from Joel Wolfe suggests that Roki Sasaki values a team’s success, and the Milwaukee Brewers certainly fit that bill. Having reached the playoffs six times in the past seven years, including four National League Central division championships, the Brewers are currently in a golden age of baseball. With a roster brimming with young talent, Sasaki would seamlessly fit right in.
It will be intriguing to see where Roki Sasaki ultimately signs, and his agent’s comments suggest the Brewers may have a better shot than initially expected. With Milwaukee also boasting one of the largest international bonus pools for next year, it’s becoming clearer that the two sides could be a perfect fit for one another.
Follow me on X @tylerkoerth. Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great up to date sports content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!. We cover the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers, numerous other professional sports, and Wisconsin High School Sports. Additionally we provide the latest news coverage on the NFL, MLB, and NBA in which you can follow Gridiron Heroics, Hardwood Heroics, and Homeplate Heroics.
