Five Asian Pitchers and Hitters Targeted by MLB Teams in Early Offseason

Major League Baseball free agency opened this week, prompting teams to pursue five international stars from Japan and South Korea. Four of these players were officially posted by their domestic clubs on November 1. This action starts a countdown for MLB organizations to finalize deals. The signing teams must pay posting fees to the players' former organizations. One player remains an international free agent who can negotiate without a posting deadline.

The rules set specific time limits for these transactions. Posted players from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league have 45 days to sign. Players from South Korea's Korea Baseball Organization have 30 days. The KBO deadline falls at 5 p.m. ET on December 1. NPB players face a rolling deadline based on their individual posting date. The timeline continues even if a lockout begins on December 1, making that date a hard stop for already posted NPB players unless the work stoppage ends sooner.

The Los Angeles Dodgers recently used four former international players, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. While Ohtani signed as a standard free agent, the others arrived via the posting system. The Chicago White Sox paid the Yakult Swallows $6.575 million for Munetaka Murakami last year. That fee was calculated based on his $34 million contract.

Teruaki Sato, a third baseman for the Hanshin Tigers, won Japan's Triple Crown in 2026. He batted .306 with an on-base percentage of .383 and a slugging percentage of .609. Sato drove in 39 home runs but posted a 66% contact rate, which is below the MLB average. Teams expect to move him to first base or the outfield. The Tigers posted Sato on November 1.

Kaima Taira, a right-handed pitcher for the Seibu Lions, stands 5-foot-8 but has a near seven-foot extension. This creates a low release point that confuses batters. Taira throws a four-seam fastball in the mid-90s mph range. He also uses a cutter, sinker, sweeper, slider, changeup, and splitter. The Lions moved him from relief to starting pitching in 2026. He handled the role effectively and was posted on November 1.

Hiroki Itoh, the 2025 Eiji Sawamura Award winner, posted a 3.18 ERA over 172 two-thirds innings in 2026. He is 5-foot-9 and commands a seven-pitch repertoire with a low-90s fastball. Itoh has thrown at least 150 innings in each of the last six seasons. The Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters posted him on November 1. He is viewed as a back-end starter or reliever.

Si-Hwan Roh, a Korean third baseman, signed an 11-year contract worth approximately $23 million in February. The deal is the richest in KBO history. The Hanwha Eagles committed to posting him this offseason. Roh must return to complete his career with the team. At 26, he hit .283 with 29 home runs in 2026. The Eagles posted Roh on November 1.

Kona Takahashi is a right-handed pitcher and international free agent. He does not need to be posted and can negotiate at his own pace. He returned to the Seibu Lions last year after failing to sign with an MLB team. He threw 148 innings with a 2.64 ERA. Now 30, Takahashi is a ground-ball pitcher with a fastball between 91 and 95 mph. He relies on a slider and splitter as primary secondary pitches.