Cubs reportedly scouting standout Japanese player |
Every offseason, teams fill out their roster by adding a crop of free agents to their team. While most of these players are players who recently saw their contracts end with their previous team, there are other outlets to add free agents. One of those outlets comes from overseas, where you have the KBO and NPB players looking to be posted to come stateside and sign over here.
This year is no different as one of the best Japanese players is not only expected to test the MLB free agent waters this season, but is expected to be coveted by most of the league. The Cubs are one of those teams looking at him, as the initial reports show they have been scouting him already. For those unfamiliar with the player we are talking about, star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the most coveted Japanese player this winter. I know what most of you are thinking. The luck the Cubs have had with Japanese-born players could be better, and you can point to Kosuke Fukudome and Seiya Suzuki as examples of that. However, those are the only two big-name players the Cubs have added from Japan, and both are outfielders. They have never signed a Japanese Ace to their rotation, and their luck may change should they add him. You saw Chicago in on Kodai Senga this offseason, as they had a real shot to land him before he signed with the Mets. Chicago was also in on Shohei, and it is reported that they were one of the final three teams on his list before he ultimately landed with the Angels. That shows you that luck aside, the Cubs will always continue to look for Japanese talent, as their luck will eventually change in that category. Is Yamamoto the player that could change their fortune? You would hope so, as he is the definition of an Ace and one that would pair well with lefty Justin Steele for years to come. Once the 2023 ends and the free agent class is revealed, the Cubs are expected to make a massive push for Cody Bellinger to resign, as he has been the best player on the team this season. Apart from him comes a much better starting pitching market than last season, as Aaron Nola, Julio Urias, Blake Snell, Sonny Gray, Lucas Giolito, and Eduardo Rodriguez, to name a few, will be headlining that list. Yamamoto is another name that will be in that mix as he, too, is expected to be posted and hit the free-agent waters come December. While everyone talks about Yu Darvish as one of the most successful Japanese pitchers ever, Yamamoto is the most heralded pitcher from Japan since Masahiro Tanaka and tells you something. Not only that, but the kid just turned 25 years old and hasn't even hit his prime as a pitcher yet, making him that much more intriguing. Currently sitting at 13-5 with a 1.42 ERA, Yamamoto is in the midst of his third straight season with an ERA below 2.00. To go with that, he has walked just 20 and struck out 128 hitters this season. For his career, Yamamoto is 71-29 with a microscopic 1.77 ERA. Those are impressive numbers at any level, and you can see why teams are coveting him so much right now. Without knowing how his success will translate in the States, most teams have fallen in love with his fastball, which has been touching 97 MPH all season. That is nearly three MPH higher than his career average of 94.4, which shows you the strength he is putting in to perfect his craft. Like most Japanese arms, their success doesn't come from the heater but from the ability to throw off-speed pitches for strikes. Not only does Yamamoto do that, but he can use all four of his pitches at any point in the count, which leaves even the most impressive hitters guessing from start to finish. Yamamoto has a real chance to become the first-ever Japanese-born player to command a 200 million dollar entry-level contract without the posting fee included. The Cubs will have the money for that and will continue to be a team looking to add talent from around the globe. Not only are they in on Yamamoto, but the Cubs are also expected to be serious players for the best player in the KBO in OF Jung-Ho Lee. Sure, Lee is out with an ankle injury that has hampered his season, but there is no denying what he can do when he is healthy. Also, a 25-year-old Lee may be just starting his prime, which is a good thing for the Cubs and anyone else involved. Across 85 games this season, Lee is hitting .319, but with only six homers and 45 RBIs, his power numbers took a significant hit, and most people point to his ankle injury as the reason. Looking at his career numbers, Lee is a .340 hitter with 65 homers and 515 RBIs. He has also walked 383 times compared to 308 strikeouts, as putting the ball in play is a significant part of his game. Lee is the definition of a leadoff hitter and someone the Cubs lineup could use at the top for years to come. With guys like Ian Happ and Suzuki locked up for multiple seasons and Pete Crow-Armstrong knocking on the door, it will be interesting to see if the Cubs can even feasibly make a run at Lee.
