Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images
According to recent reports, the St. Louis Cardinals’ scouts were present, along with seven other MLB teams, to take a look at young phenom Roki Sasaki. Some rumors indicate that it’s a waste of time for any team other than the Dodgers, but that can’t be confirmed. Pitchers of his caliber don’t come around often, and his desire to play in the United States before the age of 25 makes him more attainable for a team like the Cardinals. A team that refuses to spend like the Dodgers and some others.
Sasaki Wants to Play in the MLB Soon
The young righty signed a one year deal with the Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League. Sasaki made it clear where he wanted to eventually land.
“I have the desire to play in the U.S. major leagues in the future,” Sasaki said during a news conference, according to the Kyodo news agency. “I’ve been communicating every year. I believe the club understands it too.”
Sasaki Shines in NPB
Some of the statistics he has put up in his first few years are beyond impressive. Furthermore, if he was playing in the United States, he would be the number one prospect, and it’s not even close. Having a fastball that can hit 103 m.p.h and a slider in the 80’s will do that.
In 308.1 innings pitched, he boasts a 1.90 ERA with a .836 WHIP, 402 strikeouts to only 60 walks. Pitchers with that kind of velocity and control don’t come around very often.
Sasaki pitched a perfect game on April 10, 2022, against the Orix Buffaloes and struck out 19. In his next start, he pitched eight perfect innings against the Nippon-Ham Fighters before he was pulled. He had 14 strikeouts in that outing. That is beyond impressive, and it doesn’t matter what league he’s playing in.
Age Could Work in Cardinals Favor
The Cardinals rarely stand a chance when it comes to winning a bidding war against the big spenders in the MLB. However, due to being so young, Sasaki should be more affordable due to MLB rules where international free agents are concerned.
A player under 25 who has not reached six years of service in a foreign major league is subject to MLB’s international amateur signing bonus pools. The MLB set a hard cap and limits them to a minor league contract. Each team was given $4,652,200 to $7,114,800 for the period of Jan. 15 through Dec. 15 this year. That system allowed the Angels to sign Ohtani ahead of the 2018 season for $2,315,000. The Cardinals are probably still an underdog in regard to signing the young star, but their chances are slightly better this time around.
