Reds in the Mix for Japanese Sensation Roki Sasaki

Roki Sasaki is arguably the most coveted free agent still on the market, considered a generational talent among Japanese superstar starting pitchers. Surprisingly, the Cincinnati Reds have a fighting chance to land the 23-year-old phenom.


Wait, what?


Sasaki was posted on Monday by his team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, initiating a 45-day window for Major League teams to negotiate and sign this potential ace. "I'd love to be able to have a conversation with him," Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said at the Winter Meetings. "We’re going to try and do our best. He’s a player we scouted in Japan and we’ll see what happens." While the Dodgers and Padres are early favorites, and big-market teams like the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox are also in the mix, the deal isn’t solely about having the largest payroll.


The reason lies in MLB's international amateur signing bonus pool rules. Since Sasaki is under 25 years old and hasn't amassed six years of professional service, he falls under these rules. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced last month that Sasaki will be part of the 2025 international amateur signing class. This situation significantly boosts the Reds' chances, as they hold one of the largest international bonus pools for the 2025 signing period at $7,555,500.


The Reds' substantial bonus pool, combined with their commitment to scout and potentially sign Sasaki, places them as serious contenders in this competitive market. It will be intriguing to see if Cincinnati can pull off this major coup and bring Sasaki to the Queen City.