The Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball announced last night that they’ve made right-hander Koyo Aoyagi available to major league teams via the posting system. Jon Morosi of the MLB Network tweets that MLB has approved the posting, which opens a 45-day window for the pitcher to sign with a big league team.
Aoyagi, who turns 31 next week, seems to project as a depth arm. While he has worked as a starting pitcher for the Tigers, Aoyagi throws from a sidearm slot that’s more commonly found in the bullpen. He’s coming off a pedestrian season which he split almost evenly between the Tigers and their minor league affiliate. Aoyagi made 12 starts at Japan’s top level and pitched 11 times in the minors.
During his work at the highest level, he turned in a 3.69 ERA across 61 innings. His 13% strikeout rate would be nearly 10 percentage points below the MLB average. He showed decent but not exceptional control, walking 7.8% of batters faced. His career track record is a bit more impressive. He owns a 3.08 ERA with a 17.1% strikeout percentage across nine NPB campaigns. This was his second consecutive middling season, though. Aoyagi was tagged for a 4.57 ERA across 100 1/3 innings for the Tigers in 2023.
The 5’11” hurler pitched for Japan at the 2020 Olympics (held in Tokyo a year late as a result of the pandemic). Japan went 5-0 and won the gold medal, though Aoyagi was tagged for five runs in 1 2/3 innings across two appearances. He did not make the nation’s World Baseball Classic roster two years later.
Assuming the posting window officially opened today, Aoyagi will have until January 17 to sign with an MLB team. If he doesn’t find an offer to his liking, he’d remain with the Tigers. Aoyagi’s numbers suggest he could be limited to a minor league deal. If he signs with an MLB team, that club would also owe a release fee to the Hanshin Tigers. The fee is proportional to the size of the contract. In the very likely event that he signs for $25MM or less, the posting fee would be 20% of the guarantee.
He’s gonna get lit up
It’s hard to believe he’ll get any interest at all. Maybe the A’s sign him to raise their payroll?
A’s signed Fujinama, who I like still, white Sox should sign Fujinama and this guy and give them a go in the bullpen.
Dumpster diving white Sox
Heck yeah, Fujinama is my guy. I’m all in on Fujinama, needs a Japanese cohort to shoot the hay with down in the bullpen, that’s where Aoyagi comes in.
I’d like to buy a vowel, Mr Seacrest
I would assume that if he was your “guy” you would at least know that his name is Fujinami and not Fujinama.
Watched some film on him last night after I posted and recognized the error myself, I’ve been an A’s fan since 1986 when Jose Canseco came into the league, and I root for them still to this day. I was a big fan of the A’s signing Fujinami, didn’t know much about him prior to that season, don’t follow Nippon at all, but liked the heater. Been a fan of his ever since, root for him to emerge as a star in MLB, mostly because of the heater. Anyhow, thanks for correcting my error.
Fujinama was a much more high profile player in Japan than this guy ever was. He was Shohei’s rival growing up, literally on the same talent level as one of the greatest baseball players ever until he went pro. He was worth taking a risk on for the worst team in baseball. This is a little bit different. This dude will probably just get a minors contract like Naoyuki Uwasawa last year.
I believe Naoyuku Uwasawa had better numbers than Aoyagi, and Uwasawa had to settle with a minor league deal a year ago.
I’d be pretty surprised if Aoyagi is able to land an MLB-level deal, but maybe Shota Imanaga exceeding expectations this year gives teams extra reason to give some of these ‘lesser’ names a shot (not that Shota was in that category).
I think these low-K guys just aren’t as successful at making things work stateside though, but I’d love to be proven wrong.
Eh, even then, it’s not a great comparrison. Imanaga had stuff that could play at least at a middle-rotation-arm level and struck out nearly 30% of opponents last year for Yokohama. Uwasawa never really had that sort of outlook and I doubt Aoyagi does either.
can’t imagine he is leaving Japan. will maybe get an offer of $1m
Getting dropped to NPB’s minor league isn’t a good platform year.
@Halosheavenjj. Yeah not a good sign. Side arm delivery is the only positive. Someone offering a million dollars might be more than the NPB’s minor league salary.
I was hoping for more info in the article about why he was demoted for half the season if his era was below 4 and he had such a strong track record.
NPB is currently experiencing a deadball ERA with de-juiced baseballs, and the Central League Average ERA was 2.88 last year.
Someone might take a chance on a very low contract
MLB minimum in ’25 will be $760k. Offer Aoyagi $775k.
If I was him, I’d stay in Japan vs. settling for a minor league deal.
Nice use of “streets ahead,” Pierce.
Not even a bullpen guy, given the low K%. I doubt he lands in the MLB but stranger things have occurred. If he is willing to take a minor contract, I could see that happening but I think he stays in the NPB.
@old york. Yeah not looking good. If he wasn’t a side armed pitcher I would say no chance. It’s possible he lands on a really bad team. Everyone pretty much pitches the same wouldn’t be bad to have a different look.
Dodgers will sign him with 99% of his salary deferred until 2048-2052,
Or Cubs will sign him to a 5 year deal with a no trade clause.
You heard it here first.
A small market team like the Rays or Pirates or A’s may take a flier if it’s league min. They all need cheap guys (good or not) without wasting service years of good prospects. If they are any better they would never reach small market teams in the first place.
Aj Preller likes signing Asian arms!
I’m surprised this player is posted based on the stats. Maybe he just wants to say he was a major leaguer.