The 2015 season featured an interesting batch of players migrate from Asia to MLB -- a mid-tier Japanese starter, a couple of Korean hitters, an American who reinvented himself in Japan -- but there is an emerging crop of players in Japan who are a bit further down the road.
Here are RotoWire's Top-10 Japanese prospects:
1. Shohei Ohtani, SP, Nippon Ham Fighters, age 21
If you have not seen Ohtani yet, make a point to do so. Ohtani is arguably the best MLB pitching prospect Japan has ever produced, and he's spent the offseason training with the other man with a legitimate stake to that title, Yu Darvish. Ohtani is the hardest throwing pitcher Japan has ever produced, regularly hitting 100 mph on the gun; he also mixes in a slider, splitter, changeup, and curve, all of which are getting better. Ohtani has improved in each of his three professional seasons, culminating in a line of 15-5, 2.24 ERA, 160.2 IP, 196:46 K:BB in 2015. And if a dominant pitching line isn't enough, he's also a good hitter. If he takes another step forward in 2016, MLB scouts and general managers will be jumping out of their seats for his services. Eventually posting to MLB is part of Ohtani's deal with Nippon Ham, so he will probably arrive in North America after two or three more seasons in Japan.
2. Shintaro Fujinami, SP, Hanshin Tigers, age 21
Right behind Ohtani on the prospect list is his
The 2015 season featured an interesting batch of players migrate from Asia to MLB -- a mid-tier Japanese starter, a couple of Korean hitters, an American who reinvented himself in Japan -- but there is an emerging crop of players in Japan who are a bit further down the road.
Here are RotoWire's Top-10 Japanese prospects:
1. Shohei Ohtani, SP, Nippon Ham Fighters, age 21
If you have not seen Ohtani yet, make a point to do so. Ohtani is arguably the best MLB pitching prospect Japan has ever produced, and he's spent the offseason training with the other man with a legitimate stake to that title, Yu Darvish. Ohtani is the hardest throwing pitcher Japan has ever produced, regularly hitting 100 mph on the gun; he also mixes in a slider, splitter, changeup, and curve, all of which are getting better. Ohtani has improved in each of his three professional seasons, culminating in a line of 15-5, 2.24 ERA, 160.2 IP, 196:46 K:BB in 2015. And if a dominant pitching line isn't enough, he's also a good hitter. If he takes another step forward in 2016, MLB scouts and general managers will be jumping out of their seats for his services. Eventually posting to MLB is part of Ohtani's deal with Nippon Ham, so he will probably arrive in North America after two or three more seasons in Japan.
2. Shintaro Fujinami, SP, Hanshin Tigers, age 21
Right behind Ohtani on the prospect list is his draft classmate Fujinami, who has progressed at a similar pace. Standing a noodly 6-foot-5, 194 pounds, Fujinami features a fastball that sits at 95 mph and touches 100 on occasion, as well as devastating splitter. He's shown a bit more durability than Ohtani, topping out at 199 innings pitched in 2015, which he paired with a robust 221 strikeouts. On the downside, his control has taken a bit of a step back as his velocity has increased. Hanshin is less likely to post Fujinami prior to him qualifying for free agency, so he is about six years away from appearing on North American soil.
3. Tetsuto Yamada, 2B, Yakult Swallows, age 23
How good was Yamada in 2015? He led his league in total bases -- by 81. He also led the league in hits, doubles, home runs, runs, walks, stolen bases, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage; and finished second in batting average and RBI. He's a competent defender at second base as well. His 2015 season may turn out to be a career year, but he was strong in 2014 as well, and if he can stay in the neighborhood he's in, he'll earn the chance to break the jinx of Japanese infielders in MLB.
4. Yuki Yanagita, OF, Softbank Hawks, age 27
After a couple of seasons linear progression as an emerging five-tool talent, Yanagita went parabolic in 2015, batting .363/.469/.631 with 34 home runs and 32 steals, en route to his first MVP award. Yanagita is no slouch with the glove either, covering ample ground in center field with a strong throwing arm. At 27, Yanagita is a little older than the other players on this list, so it remains to be seen if he'll get the chance to test himself in MLB during his prime, but regardless he's one to keep an eye on.
5. Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh, OF, Yokohama DeNA Baystars, age 24
After spending a couple years on the horizon, Tsutsugoh broke out in 2014 after transitioning to the outfield, and hasn't looked back. He followed up a solid .300/.373/.529 with a better .317/.400/.522 line in 2015, improving his contact skills and his ability to drive the ball. Tsutsugoh has realistic 40 homer upside (in Japan), and has MLB aspirations dating back to his high school days.
6. Ryosuke Kikuchi, 2B, Hiroshima Carp, age 25
A year ago, Kikuchi would have been higher on this list, perhaps as high as No. 3. As it is now though, he played 2015 on two knees that required offseason surgery, and saw his batting line decline from a blissful .325/.352/.456 to a pedestrian .254/.292/.343; and his defense drop from record-setting other-worldly level to merely excellent. The 2016 season may tell us who the real Kikuchi is, but there is reason to be optimistic.
7. Tomoya Mori, C/OF, Seibu Lions, age 20
Imagine Kyle Schwarber, scaled down to about 75 percent of his present size and you have some idea of what Mori's build and skills. At 5-foot-6, Mori is a short player, even by Japanese standards, but his offensive prowess is real. It's uncommon for teenage position players to stick for a full year at the top level in Japan, but Mori played most of the 2015 season as a 19-year-old, and held his own with a .287/.357/.458 line and 17 home runs. His swing is better suited to mashing off-speed pitches, but if he continues to improve, watch out.
8. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP, Seibu Lions, age 24
Kikuchi attracted attention as a high schooler for his hard fastball and stated desire to forego a pro career in Japan and jump straight to the majors. That didn't happen, and injuries have so far deterred him from reaching his potential. Still only 24, Kikuchi showed signs of improvement in 2015 and if he can put together a couple of healthy seasons, he could establish himself as a quality lefty.
9. Louis Okoye OF Rakuten Eagles, age 18
If it seems aggressive to put an 18-year-old who has yet to attend his first professional spring training on this list... it is. The half-Nigerian, half-Japanese outfielder rose to prominence in 2015 Koshien high school tournament, eventually becoming Rakuten's first-round pick in the draft. He's years away from MLB and may never develop as a player, but his combination of athleticism, baseball skill, and energy make him a player to keep an eye on.
10. Shogo Akiyama, OF, Seibu Lions, age 27
Coming off a .359/.419/.522 season, Akiyama seems superficially worthy of a much higher ranking, but for now it's prudent to be conservative. Prior to his explosive 2015, Akiyama was a career .270 hitter with modest power who mainly drew accolades for defense. A clearly more aggressive plate approach lead to a dramatic breakout in 2015, but time will tell if it's sustainable. At age 27 with five years of service time, he's a few years away from free agency and will likely spend his prime years in Japan.
