The Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball are going to post outfielder Masataka Yoshida, according to a report from Yahoo Japan, making him eligible to explore opportunities with MLB clubs. (hat tip to JJ Cooper from Baseball America and Jason Coskrey on Twitter.) The Japanese-language link lists the Yankees, Mariners, and Blue Jays as those with interest.
Yoshida, 29, made his NPB debut with the Buffaloes in 2016 and has since established himself as a key contributor at the plate. In 2022, he played in 119 games, hitting 21 home runs and producing an overall batting line of .335/.447/.561. That level of production and Yoshida’s age should lead to him garnering plenty of interest from North American teams.
This year’s market for free agent outfielders isn’t huge in terms of quantity. MLBTR’s list of the top free agents featured Aaron Judge in the top spot and Brandon Nimmo at number nine. Those guys are both likely to receive nine-figure deals, but then there’s only a few guys capable of everyday jobs in the middle of the list. Joc Pederson accepted the qualifying offer to return to the Giants, leaving Andrew Benintendi, Mitch Haniger and Jurickson Profar as some of the few mid-market options. Then there are some guys likely to require less cost but with injury risks, such as Michael Conforto and Michael Brantley.
Teams will likely have wide variance in how they evaluate Yoshida, but it’s unlikely he will earn a contract that rivals the top-market guys. Seiya Suzuki was another highly-touted slugger who was posted a year ago and he eventually signed with the Cubs for five years and $85MM. He was 27 years old at the time, two years younger than Yoshida is now. That likely makes it difficult for Yoshida to beat Suzuki’s guarantee, though it’s possible some team values him significantly higher than the Cubs valued Suzuki. For the teams that miss out on the top free agent outfielders, Yoshida should add an interesting new option for the next tier of the market.
The fact that the Blue Jays and Mariners are two of the teams listed as being interested in Yoshida is quite interesting, given that those two clubs swung a trade earlier today to send Teoscar Hernandez from Toronto to Seattle. That gives the Blue Jays a clear opening in their outfield mix that they could slot Yoshida into. They do have George Springer, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Whit Merrifield, though Merrifield took over as the everyday second baseman down the stretch and could play there again in 2023. They’ve already been connected to Nimmo since the departure of Hernandez but Yoshida could also make sense.
For the Mariners, they now have Hernandez and Julio Rodriguez taking up two spots in their outfield mix, with Jesse Winker, Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, Sam Haggerty and Kyle Lewis on hand as options for a third spot. Winker has been mentioned as being available in trade discussions, but it would be a surprise to see the club fill out that last outfield position and block all of its young options from a path into the regular lineup.
For the Yankees, they have a clear need in the outfield with both Judge and Benintendi having reached free agency recently. They have Harrison Bader in place for center field but will likely be looking to add two outfielders before Opening Day. They have Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks on hand but Stanton has largely been a designated hitter for a while and can’t be counted on for everyday action in the outfield while Hicks is coming off a second straight disappointing year at the plate.
Once Yoshida is formally posted, there will be a 30-day window where MLB clubs can negotiate with his representatives. If a deal is reached, the signing team will also owe money to the Buffaloes, with that amount being relative to the size of the contract given. Any big league team that signs him would owe the Buffaloes a fee equal to 20% of the contract’s first $25MM, 17.5% of the next $25MM and 15% of any dollars thereafter. If he does not reach an agreement with an MLB team, he will return to the Buffaloes for 2023.
I have heard this might be someone the Yankees are after.
The article says that Joe. You have some brilliant insight
It didn’t when I posted.
I’ve read that too. A lefty contact hitter is something they seek, but his defense is weak from published reports. Not sure I can see him out in LF where the Yankees for the past decade and prioritized defense in the larger field, from Gardner to Gallo to Benintendi.
Thanks for the info. All I know of him is he’s a lefty contact batting corner outfielder.
Let’s just hope if their interest is real it’s not to play RF!
No I’m definitely coming back. No worries.
Yankees or bust.
Joe Says,
Hard to imagine a challenged defensive outfielder patrolling the toughest left field in the major leagues. They have plenty of potential dh’s.
That’s why I don’t think it’s real. I’m sure the Yankees have scouted him, but I suspect their interest is tepid.
Never hurts to feign interest to jack up his price to opponents.
Adrian says, “YO Masataka!”
Anyone have any idea what he looks like defensively?
https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/eagletribune.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/fd/4fdc55ec-5b10-11ed-a9b5-63cd3039d14c/63630f09ea8be.image.jpg?resize=750%2C516
You’re welcome.
DH
Maybe as bad as Bryce Harper
Harper’s a good RF
No. Worse than Harper for sure.
Short, black hair, dark eyes, usually wheres a baseball cap.
Usually on his head, I suppose.
Like the worst defensive outfielder in the NPB.
Two words for you: Greg Luzinski.
Break out the checkbook Hal.
The M’s new 51
If the Yankees take the chance, is it a better deal than a possible Benentendi reunion? I think so – they could also roll the dice on Cabrera in left field.
Come home to Philly. We’ll figure it out.
He makes Schwarber look like a gold glove OF.
Mets are a perfect fit. Yoshida is not a great fielder, but he can mash. Adds power to the lineup and gives them their every day DH.
They have DH already worked out between Escobar/Baty, Alvarez and Vientos. Mets need to sign pitching and more pitching.
Of course they need pitching more than anything, but they desperately need power bats besides Alonso. No guarantee that the kids work out although they deserve a shot. Anyway, the Mets are certainly going to go after pitching, I see this as an additional need.
There is never a guarantee but you have to give them their shot.
Interesting..doubt his power translates but he gets on base a ton. How is his D?
Not good. He’s a DH type.
Bench player at best in the US
Bench player at best in US
You’re definitely wrong.
Replacement for Teoscar Hernandez maybe? Nowhere near the power but far better at getting on base (higher average, higher walk total).. It’ll be interesting to see what he commands in the end. Can’t see him getting $15-20 mil a year but $5-$10 mil is easy to imagine. Depends on his power – is it really 500+ Slg% level or is it more around the 400 level once adjusted to the majors? Always tough to say for sure.
I can’t see the Jays back filling Hernandez’s spot with a worse defender that is a big question mark offensively. Unless they get him really cheap which doesn’t sound like it will happen.
Jays will either pony up for Nimmo and trade a C for starting pitching…. Or they’ll pony up for Rodon/Verlander/DeGrom and trade a C for an OF.
These 29-30 year old japanese players are much different than the 29-30 year range for American players. Their bodies seem to breakdown faster. Thats why a lot of these guys who come from Japan to the US at that age only have like one good season
I never thought of that as an age thing, but more likely that teams kind of spent that first year learning how to pitch to them and finding weaknesses. By year two, like most rookies, the hitters have to start making adjustments and those who don’t, decline.
Age probably hurts the ability to make those adjustments, so I guess that’s part of it. It really makes you appreciate Ichiro and Matsui all the more.
Careful with this dude. He’s a little guy with a big swing and very little defensive value, and those types make it in MLB only very rarely. Worth someone throwing him a few million to give it a shot, but I wouldn’t count on him.
Why is nobody talking about the facts that this guy is made of glass and has never finished an NPB 143 game season without trips to the DL and the fact that he is a abysmal defensive player?
Be interesting to see where he ends up.
Lefty with a good OBP can fit about anywhere, but the defense is an issue.
Would be a cute replacement in NY in lieu of Judge. At 5’8” he’s essentially a foot shorter.
I think the Yankees should prefer Benintendi if it’s between the two.
Seiya Suzuki was a good enough player for the Cubbies, but his BA dropped 55 points and his OPS 303 points between his last year in Japan and his rookie season in Chicago. Also, Beni is a decent fielder, although probably overrated by the Gold Glove voters.
Whatever they do will probably hinge on whether penny-wise/pound-foolish Hal will cut Hicks loose, provided Cashman will even have the guts to suggest it.
I think Suzuki will bounce back in 2023.
I have never seen Yoshida so I have no opinion on him
Hicks is a useful 5th OFer.
The trick is to treat him like one and not let salary commitments dictate evaluations.
That’s a trick Cashman has yet to demonstrate.
@Fink Ployed True, that.
Masataka is the type of player that can put the Yanks over the top. Put him in the outfield with Bader and Judge. A Yankee line-up with DJ, Judge, Rizzo, Stanton, Yoshida Donaldson, Bader, Trevino, and Peraza/Volpe can be a winner.
彼の幸運を祈ります!
Hard pass if I’m the Yankees. Benintendi is a much better option.
Benintendi apparently can’t do what he can do with the bat. The Yankees will definitely engage in the bidding for sure. Especially if Benintendi will want over $10 million annually. Easy pass.
In all my years watching baseball I can count on one hand how many Japanese hitters came over and were successful. It might only be three. Ichiro, Matsui, and of course Ohtani. I’m struggling to think of another. Point being, Benintendi is a better and possibly cheaper option.
@Mystery Train What’s the average dropoff of all hitters, combined, especially the sluggers?
They said that about Suzuki last year and he didnt impress last year.
Don’t stop now Seattle. Seattle is one of Yoshida’s “top suitor’s.” He’s an on base machine. Would be a lot cheaper than say Nimmo. That’ll save some money when it comes time to sign a free agent SS.
His greatest strongpoint is his great adjustment to fastball over 95mph, in addition to his solid contact and powerful swing.
However, his defense is, so far as he has played in NPB, not very great.., not to say horrible either though.
Anyway, I am pretty sure his offense ability must considerably contribute to a mystery team eager for LF/DH left-handed hitter.
This is just an aside:: since Masataka looks up to Bryce Harper, he keeps a cat named Bryce and a dog named Harper.
Anymore information about Munetaka Murakami? Dude told reporter in November 14th that he still talk with his agent about jumping to the Majors and want to do it sooner like Shohei Ohtani
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/11/3b0e7bf3c2a8-baseball-yakult-swallows-star-murakami-reveals-mlb-ambitions.html
“Of course I want to try. I don’t know how old I’ll be, but I’m still young, so the sooner the better,” Murakami said. “It will involve discussions with (the Swallows), but if I can go, I want to go soon.”
He is the youngest triple crown winner by posting .318/.458/.711 with 56HR and 134RBI this season. And he probably will get his second NPB MVP this year.
Padres need a DH and a LH power bat….just sayin
Doesn’t appear to project as a major league regular. Certainly no future all-star. Some sucker will pay.
Sounds like Shogo without the glove.
He isn’t as hyped as Suzuki and Suzuki turned out to be a 3/4 outfield type.
Once upon a time, all Yankees’ management needed to do was fill the roster with LH players; hitters to reach the short porch and pitchers to send long fly balls into Death Valley. Somehow, Brian Cashman got it into his head that he knows more and well, we have seen a plethora of RH power hitting strike out type hitters man the roster.
We must have a LH hitting left fielder, whether it is Yahida, Benintendi, Dominguez (not ready), Spencer Jones (prob not ready), or someone they trade Torres for (DBacks and Reynolds possibly).
That would give them 2 LH hitters with Rizzo on board. Resigning Carpenter and somehow unloading Stanton (to help pay for Judge) is the ultimate dream (probably not going to happen).