Is Roki Sasaki about to decide on where he’ll sign?
When reading the tea leaves from the last few days, there are some developments which could be telling. Sasaki is eligible to sign with a club on Jan. 15. This is when the international signing period begins for players considered to be amateurs.
Presumably, he will make his decision publicly this week. Longtime reporter Jon Morosi went on MLB Network with Harold Reynolds and Matt Vasgersian, and essentially said the same thing:
“This is very likely the week when we learn where Roki Sasaki will pitch in Major League Baseball.”
The 23-year-old reportedly is considering the likes of the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers, both New York clubs, the Chicago Cubs, the Texas Rangers, and — most recently throwing their hat into the ring — the Toronto Blue Jays. Recent reports indicate that Sasaki met with the Blue Jays in Toronto somewhat recently.
There are restrictions in place with what clubs can offer Sasaki. Due to his status as an amateur prospect, he’s not in line to cash in on a gigantic deal a la Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Sasaki’s salary will count against a team’s international amateur signing bonus pool of money. Had Sasaki been 25 when coming over to the U.S., he would’ve been in line for a big payday.
As such, clubs have been scrambling to essentially free up enough money to sweeten a deal. Unfortunately, as the rules work, verbal agreements clubs have had with prospects for years have been broken in the wake of Sasaki’s availability.
As an example, the Dodgers reportedly have asked all of their international prospects to wait a year to sign in order to give Sasaki the most money possible. One of those prospects from the Dominican Republic had agreed previously on a $1.1 million deal. Not wanting to wait a year on the Dodgers, the prospect instead just decided to ink a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Similarly, the Padres have also told their expected members of the 2025 international signing class that they are free to look elsewhere for potential deals.
In other words, the Dodgers and Padres are freeing up as much cash as possible for Sasaki. One could also deduce that each feels pretty good about signing the starlet pitcher.
