Many players have been called good or great pitchers because of the recent influx of talent from Japan. But the best pitcher from Japan to play in MLB is Yu Darvish. He is an absolute monster on the mound. He has been part of the Padres setup for 4 years now. Now, there is a new sensation in town and there are rumors that he might just be better than Darvish.

Only 23 years of age, Roki Sasaki is making the entire baseball world crazy to win over Yu Darvish and the title for being the greatest Japanese pitcher in the history books. Scouts, analysts, and former players have fallen head over heels for this raw talent and, in comparison to the all-time greats such as Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish, do not seem very hard to do at all.

When asked “Where does Sasaki rank?”, there was an instant reply as to why he is considered a big talent. Sports Columnist Dylan Hernandez replied, “He’s 6’3″, 6’4″, and he’s the type of kid who I think had he been born in the United States, gone to like an American high school. He would have been a candidate to be drafted 1-1, right? And, you know, in my mind, there are probably two other guys from Japan that kind of fit that category. One of them, like you mentioned, is Darvish, the second one being Ohtani, and this is probably the third guy.” This just shows the amount of talent Sasaki brings to the table. And to prove this we can look at his stats in Japan.

We can look at his stats from Japan to understand why he is praised this much. Over the four seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, he had a win-loss record of 30-15 and an ERA of 2.02. He had a massive 505 strikeouts. In addition to this, he had a perfect game with 19 strikeouts and tied the NPB record. He also set a world record of 13 consecutive strikeouts. All this before the age of 25.

Although not very famous for his batting, Hernandez said “First time I saw him was in high school. It kinda looked like Griffey swinging the bat”. This is very high praise as Griffy Jr. is supposed to be a Hall of Fame contender. Hernandez believes Sasaki has much more potential and a chance to prove himself and be the greatest.

Future of Japanese talent in MLB

The future of Japanese talent in Major League Baseball (MLB) is brighter than ever, thanks to the emergence of young phenoms like Roki Sasaki. Sasaki is being hailed as the most exciting pitching talent to come out of Japan in recent years, just 23 years old. His electric fastball reaches 102 mph, showcasing incredible velocity. His delivery appears effortless, further emphasizing his natural talent. Sasaki has drawn comparisons to MLB greats, adding to his growing reputation. He has captured the attention of scouts, analysts, and fans around the world. He has the potential to become one of the biggest stars in MLB history, not just a top-notch pitcher. Maybe he even outshines the established Japanese icons such as Yu Darvish.

While Shohei Ohtani and Munetaka Murakami are holding their own, the rise of Sasaki indicates the next level in Japanese talent. With his ace pitching ability and cool demeanor on the mound, many see him as potentially ushering in a new generation of Japanese baseball players to lead the charge into MLB. Sasaki’s success could inspire more young Japanese pitchers to pursue their dreams of playing in the U.S., leading to an influx of elite talent into the league. With MLB teams increasingly looking toward Japan to find top-tier talent, Sasaki’s journey will likely pave the way for a wave of Japanese prospects making their mark in the majors.

Roki Sasaki will likely be the future of Japanese baseball in the MLB. He has the potential to rewrite history in the game. As the league continues scouting the talent of Japan, it is signing more talented players. The influence of Sasaki will most likely propel future generations of Japanese players to success in MLB. His rise enhances the league’s global appeal. This highlights the influence of Japanese baseball on the world stage. Sasaki’s impact will shape the future of international baseball. Sasaki, if healthy and continues to develop, is likely to be the greatest Japanese pitcher to ever pitch in MLB.