Koyo Aoyagi of Hanshin Tigers Available for MLB Teams via Posting System

The Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) announced that they have made right-hander Koyo Aoyagi available to Major League Baseball (MLB) teams through the posting system. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the MLB has approved the posting, opening a 45-day window for Aoyagi to negotiate and sign with a big league team.

Aoyagi, who is turning 31 next week, is projected to serve as a depth arm in MLB. Despite having experience as a starting pitcher for the Tigers, Aoyagi's sidearm delivery is more commonly found in bullpen roles. He is coming off a mixed season, which he split between the Tigers and their minor league affiliate. Over 12 starts at Japan’s top level and 11 minor league appearances, Aoyagi posted a 3.69 ERA across 61 innings. His strikeout rate of 13% is notably below the MLB average, and he demonstrated reasonable control with a 7.8% walk rate.

Aoyagi's career statistics are slightly more impressive, with a 3.08 ERA and a 17.1% strikeout rate across nine NPB seasons. However, he has experienced two consecutive average seasons, including a 4.57 ERA over 100 1/3 innings in 2023.

The 5'11" pitcher represented Japan at the 2020 Olympics, where the team won the gold medal despite Aoyagi allowing five runs in 1 2/3 innings over two appearances. He did not make Japan's World Baseball Classic roster two years later.

The posting window, which officially opened today, gives Aoyagi until January 17 to sign with an MLB team. Should he not find an acceptable offer, he will remain with the Hanshin Tigers. Aoyagi's performance suggests he might be limited to a minor league deal. If he signs with an MLB team, that team will owe a release fee to the Hanshin Tigers, calculated as 20% of the contract value for deals up to $25 million.

​Aoyagi's availability presents an opportunity for MLB teams looking for experienced depth in their pitching staff as the offseason progresses.