Los Angeles Dodgers President Andrew Friedman recently visited the World Baseball Classic (WBC) camp in Japan, which is being held in Miyazaki, Japan. To see players who are likely to knock on the door of the major leagues in the future, such as ‘Ace’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix Buffaloes), ‘Perfect Game’ Rocky Sasaki (Chiba Lotte Marines), and ’56 Home Run’ Munetaka Murakami (Yakult Swallows) am.
According to the Japanese media, President Friedman said, “It is not easy to gather such talented players as one team. I came to Miyazaki with respect.” There are a lot of players. It’s very fun.”
President Friedman watched Yamamoto’s pitching on the 18th (Korean time) as well as Sasaki’s bullpen pitching on the 19th, and filmed a video of the players training. President Friedman raised the thumbs up for Sasaki, saying, “He has the best talent,” and toward Yamamoto, “I’ve heard the name. A player with great talent.” Murakami said, “Scouts have been watching for years. Third base defense It’s getting better,” he said.안전놀이터
The player President Friedman had the most eye on was, of course, Yamamoto. Yamamoto was selected by Orix in the 4th round of the 2016 draft. At the beginning of his debut, he played an active role as a bullpen pitcher, but from the 2019 season he changed his position to a starting pitcher and was reborn as an “ace” starting pitcher representing Japan.
Yamamoto was active with an average ERA of 1.68 with 18 wins, 5 losses, 206 strikeouts in 26 games (193⅔ innings) in 2021, and an average ERA of 1.68 with 15 wins, 5 losses and 205 strikeouts in 26 games last year (193 innings), and won four pitcher crowns in two years (win, win rate, Strikeout, ERA) rose. And along with the Pacific League MVP, he swept all the honors he could get as a pitcher, including the Sawamura Award.
Yamamoto is the player most likely to advance to the major leagues from the Japanese national team. After the 2021 season, Yamamoto expressed his intention to advance to the big leagues several times through official statues. Yamamoto, who is in his 8th year of debut this year, can aim to advance to the major leagues through the’posting system’ after the 2023 season ends.
According to the US’New York Post’, a major league scout said, “Yamamoto has nothing left to prove in Japan. He has tremendous competitiveness. He said, “The splitter is also a plus pitch, and the movement of the fastball is good. It is much better than Senga Kodai (New York Mets).”
In addition, the American baseball statistics site ‘Fan Graph’ selected Yamamoto as the second best international prospect after Murakami. ‘Fangraph’ rated Yamamoto’s growth potential (FV) at 55 points out of 60 and said, “Yamamoto will immediately enter the major league starting rotation.” can,” he explains.
It is unclear whether Orix will allow Yamamoto to post. But if Yamamoto challenges the big leagues, the Dodgers are ready to jump right in. According to ‘Sports Hochi’, President Friedman said, “The United States knows that Yamamoto has received various awards based on his performance in Japan.”
It remains to be seen if the Dodgers can recruit Yamamoto when he aims to advance to the major leagues through posting.