My tryst with MLB was accidental, but what followed was nothing short of a pursuit of excellence. Having penned over 1,000 articles, I've written about the key figures ES regularly features, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Mike Trout, but Shohei Ohtani is a personal favorite. From New York to Los Angeles, I've covered articles spanning all 50 states that have been recognized as Editor's Picks on multiple occasions. With an exceptional attention to detail and insightful coverage, I'm now an MLB editor. Other than baseball, I also occasionally pick up a bow and arrow and engage in friendly archery games. When not covering news of the diamond or hitting the bull's eye with my arrows, I love to indulge in my love for literature. I agree with what Jane Austen said, “The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” I also enjoy reading about morally gray characters and talking about them on my bookstagram!

With more than 30 years following baseball’s brightest youngsters, few are better at analyzing talent than Jim Callis. The MLB [https://www.essentiallysports.com/category/mlb/] insider and senior writer has been a longtime expert at pointing out the best and worst aspects of top talent. During a recent Exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, he opened up on various topics, one of which was Japanese star Roki Sasaki. Japanese pitchers have dominated headlines in recent weeks with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga signing MLB deals. But Roki Sasaki is seemingly on a different level. Amidst posting rumors, Jim Callis spoke about the young pitcher. ROKI SASAKI IS DESTINED FOR GREATNESS, PER JIM CALLIS Top MLB insider Jim Callis spoke on some of MLB’s top prospects during his Exclusive EssentiallySports interview. This included his thoughts on 22-year-old Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki. He had positive words about the highly-scouted pitcher, who is rumored to make an MLB switch soon. [https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/roki-sasaki-shohei-ohtani.jpeg] Callis’ words on Sasaki were, “It sounds like he wants to be posted next year. We were already talking about it. If he gets posted and comes over, he’s young enough that he’ll count towards the international bonus pool. So we will consider him a prospect. Like Yamamoto, who signed with the Dodgers, did not count toward the bonus pool, so don’t count him as a prospect. He’s not on our Dodgers list.” This would make him a true prospect. But following this statement, Callis also had high praise for Sasaki. He said, “Sasaki will count towards the bonus pool, and so I think he’s the best amateur, well he’s not an amateur. I think he’s the best pitcher in the world that’s not in the US Major Leagues.” This is high praise from an expert who has seen some of MLB’s brightest players. But many have noticed Sasaki’s talents, with several teams interested in signing him. Later in the interview, Callis even said that the 22-year-old is better than Yoshinobu Yamamoto [https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-exclusive-baseball-expert-jim-callis-picks-japanese-star-over-yoshinobu-yamamoto-predicts-he-will-match-shohei-ohtanis-rare-feat/]. This is a bold claim from the veteran analyst. Slow Pitching Off-Season, as Snell and Montgomery Await Deals [https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-exclusive-top-mlb-insider-jim-callis-reveals-crucial-reason-behind-slow-pitching-off-season-as-blake-snell-and-jordan-montgomery-await-deals/] With rumors surrounding him joining an MLB team as soon as the 2025 season, the hype will surely build. Roki Sasaki had some good outings during Japan’s championship run at the World Baseball Classic. Now, with his posting seemingly coming at the end of 2024, the stage is set. All that remains is for greatness to shine. Watch This Story: These Top 5 Eye-Raising MLB Contracts Will Definitely Leave You Stunned [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/mlb-news-these-top-5-eye-raising-mlb-contracts-will-definitely-leave-you-stunned/] 

MLB insider Jim Callis spoke about star Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki in a recent EssentiallySports Exclusive interview amid Posting buzz.

Pranay Mukherjee is an MLB writer at EssentiallySports, with a degree in
Journalism and Mass Communication. His expertise lies in cheat sheets, post-game
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sport. Pranay is an avid follower of baseball and is a staunch supporter of the
Yankees, firmly believing that it is time for the New York team to break their
World Series jinx. His story on the World Baseball Classic was chosen as an
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of the sport. When not covering sports, Pranay can be found watching it,
indulging in his love for manga and anime. His fascination with the anime 'Ace
of Diamond' fueled his love for baseball, and that passion continues to this
day. His story on World Baseball Classic was one of the Editor?s Picks for the
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<h1 style="text-align: center">Yoshinobu Yamamoto Net Worth 2024: Contract, Earnings, Endorsements and More</h1>
“I am truly excited to wear Dodger Blue and can’t wait to play in front of a packed Dodger Stadium,” said Japan's best pitcher post locking a <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-la-dodgers-emerge-as-yoshinobu-yamamoto-favorites-overtaking-mets-and-yankees-amidst-intense-three-hundred-million-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.</a> Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), 177-pound (80 kg) right-handed pitcher, who throws a fastball averaging 95 mph (153 km/h), is Japan's best pitching import ever.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-2404859 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yamamoto.jpeg" alt="" width="1364" height="1364" />

In December 2023, Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a 12 year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers, which made him “the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history”. Before Yoshi enters the realms of MLB as a rookie in 2024, his contract, earnings, family etc. deserve a deep dive.
<h2 style="text-align: center">Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s net worth in 2024: A Look into his earnings for the year </h2>
The Japanese pitcher played for the Japan’s NPB's Orix Buffaloes for 6 years (2017-2023). With this, the Japanese man accumulated a net worth of $40 Million with a $28 million average salary for the ongoing year, per the Celebrity Net Worth.

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-2358118" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yoshinobu-Yamamoto-QH-560x315.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="315" />

The $5 million base salary plus $50 million signing bonus pro-rated for the season, amounting to $9.17 million, makes up his payroll salary for the year 2024. Moreover, there is no information available regarding the endorsements associated with the pitcher.
<h2 style="text-align: center">From where Yoshinobu Yamamoto hails from: Know about his early life and background</h2>
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was born on August 17, 1998 in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. While baseball enthusiasts have been eager to know about the personal tidbits of “the best pitcher in Japan”, Yamamoto has chosen to keep his educational and family background in closed doors. 
<h2 style="text-align: center">A star on the mound: A look into the baseball career of Japanese ace</h2>
In 2017, three days after his 19th birthday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto made his Nippon Professional Baseball debut for the Pacific League’s Orix Buffaloes. Yoshi represented his Japan national baseball team in the 2019 exhibition games and the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal against Team USA in the latter. 

[caption id="attachment_2034805" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]<img class="wp-image-2034805 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yoshinobu-Yamamoto.jpg" alt="Yoshinobu Yamamoto" width="1024" height="742" /> Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17) throws a pitch against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

Pitching in two games, starting one, in the tournament and allowing two runs in 7+1⁄3 innings, Yamamoto represented Japan in the 5th World Baseball Classic, with his team winning the gold medal. Moreover, Yoshinobu Yamamoto wasn’t NPB’s “great pitcher” but the “league's no-doubt ace” for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023. 

From winning Pacific League Most Valuable Player in the 2021 season to becoming the first pitcher in NPB history to throw no-hitters in consecutive seasons, Yoshi reigned supreme over the NPB, leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts each of these three seasons.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-2467670 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Yamamoto.jpg" alt="" width="1170" height="1490" />

This unprecedented feat earned him three consecutive Eiji Sawamura Awards, Japan's esteemed Cy Young equivalent. While Major League Baseball has only seen three Triple Crown winners, Japan's Yamamoto stands as a singular force, conquering the feat three times in a row! Over seven seasons with the Orix Buffaloes, Yamamoto dominated as a starter, boasting a phenomenal 1.72 ERA. 
<h2 style="text-align: center">A champion of the game: His achievements and accolades in a nutshell</h2>
From being Japan’s best pitcher to many anticipating him to replicate the same to Major Leagues, Yamamoto’s NPB and International achievements and accolades speak for themselves:

NPB
<ul>
 	<li>Two no-hitters (2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">Japan Series champion (2022)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3× Japanese Triple Crown (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3× Pacific League MVP (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3× Eiji Sawamura Award (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3× Best Nine Award (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3× Pacific League Golden Glove Award (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">3× Best Battery Award with Catcher Kenya Wakatsuki (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li>3× Pacific League wins champion (2021–2023)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">Interleague play MVP (2021)</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">4× Pacific League strikeout champion (2020–2023)</li>
 	<li>4× Pacific League ERA champion (2019, 2021–2023)</li>
 	<li>5× NPB All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021–2023)</li>
</ul>
International
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400">Tokyo 2020 All-Olympic Baseball Team (2021)</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: center">His MLB dream fulfilled: How Yoshinobu Yamamoto became pitcher with the biggest MLB contract</h2>
Yamamoto, “a WBC champion, Olympic champion and NPB champion”, signed the eye-popping 12-year, $325 million contract on December 27, 2023, with the Dodgers. The Japanese stars dominated the 2023-24 free agency. While his countryman, <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/shohei-ohtani/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shohei Ohtani</a>, signed a 10-year, $700 million contract which is “the richest in North American sports history”, Yoshinobu became “the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history”, joining the long list of the dominant NPB pitchers to jump to the Majors.

[caption id="attachment_2498376" align="aligncenter" width="4960"]<img class="wp-image-2498376 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-12-27T235154Z_1547041216_MT1USATODAY22179765_RTRMADP_3_MLB-LOS-ANGELES-DODGERS-PRESS-CONFERENCE.jpg" alt="Yoshinobu Yamamoto" width="4960" height="3304" /> Dec 27, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Stan Kasten, President and CEO along with Brandon Gomes, executive Vice President and general Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, look on as starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) adjusts his hat during an introductory press conference at Dodgers Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]

A day after he signed this hefty contract, reporter Noah Camras posted a tweet, which said “when he (Yamamoto) was 19 years old he came to a playoff game at Dodger Stadium and Kenta Maeda was pitching.” This was the primary reason why the young Yamamoto wanted to play in the major league at some point of his career. 

After he entered the realms of MLB through this massive deal, Yamamoto said, “I will stop simply admiring the players that I have looked up to, but strive to become the player that others want to become,” in an interview. 
<h2 style="text-align: center">Is Yoshinobu Yamamoto single? Know the answer</h2>
According to the most recent information, Yamamoto is single with no indication of <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-is-yoshinobu-yamamoto-in-a-relationship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">past or present relationships</a>. The 2022 Japan Series champion’s social media revolves around his baseball exploits, emphasizing his one track mind towards baseball.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-2352525 size-full" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Perspectives-Yoshinobu-Yamamoto.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" />

As they say, ‘everyone has a personal life’, Yoshi is perhaps choosing to shield this bit of his life from the public eye. This individual's dating life is a guessing game, and marriage seems as mythical as a unicorn for now.

It remains to be seen if <a href="https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-exclusive-baseball-expert-jim-callis-picks-japanese-star-over-yoshinobu-yamamoto-predicts-he-will-match-shohei-ohtanis-rare-feat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yoshinobu Yamamoto manages to replicate</a> or go beyond what his compatriot, Shohei Ohtani, has achieved over the years in Major League Baseball.

Know more about Yoshinobu Yamamoto
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Full Name</td>
<td>Yoshinobu Yamamoto</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birth Date</td>
<td>August 17, 1998</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Birth Place</td>
<td>Bizen, Okayama, Japan</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Height</td>
<td>5-foot-10-inch </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Weight</td>
<td>177  lbs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nationality</td>
<td> Japanese</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Net Worth</td>
<td>$40 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Salary</td>
<td>$28 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Current Team</td>
<td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Position</td>
<td>Pitcher</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Get the scoop on Yamamoto's finances in 2024, including his contract details, estimated net worth, personal and professional life, and more.

Roki Sasaki is destined for greatness, per Jim Callis