NPB Watch: May Edition
2023/05/npb-watch-may-edition.htmlKazuma Okamoto, Corner Infielder, Yomiuri Giants; Shosei Togo, right-handed starting pitcher, Yomiuri Giants; Keiji Takahashi, left-handed starting pitcher, Tokyo Yakult…… The two-time Pacific League MVP has had a “slow” start to the season by his standards.
NPB To MLB: 7 Players To Watch
2023/04/npb-players-japan-coming-mlb.htmlKazuma Okamoto, Corner Infielder, Yomiuri Giants; Shosei Togo, right-handed starting pitcher, Yomiuri Giants; Keiji Takahashi, left-handed starting pitcher, Tokyo Yakult…… A new wave of NPB players have chosen to pursue their big-league dreams in recent years.
Enny Romero Signs With KBO’s SSG Landers
2022/12/enny-romero-signs-with-kbos-ssg-landers.htmlWith the Chunichi Dragons in 2019, he was given a rotation job, throwing 116 1/3 innings over 21 appearances with a 4.26 ERA. … The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization announced that they have signed left-hander Enny Romero (hat tip to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net).
Aristides Aquino Signs With NPB’s Chunichi Dragons
2022/11/aristides-aquino-signs-with-npbs-chunichi-dragons.html10:20 AM: Outfielder Aristides Aquino has signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network. … 10:30 AM: Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital adds that Aquino's deal is one-year, $1.2MM with an additional $300K of possible incentives.
Red Sox Sign Joely Rodriguez
2022/11/red-sox-sign-joely-rodriguez.htmlOriginally signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Pirates as a teenager back in 2009, Rodriguez bounced to four different organizations before signing with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball prior to the 2018 season. … 10:28am: The Red Sox have signed left-handed reliever Joely Rodriguez to a one-year deal with a club option for the 2024 season, per a team announcement.
Mets Trade Miguel Castro To Yankees For Joely Rodriguez
2022/04/mets-trade-miguel-castro-to-yankees-for-joely-rodriguez.htmlAfter a couple of seasons with the Phillies in 2016 and 2017, Rodriguez headed overseas for a stint with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball. … However, the one area of the roster they hadn't really addressed was left-handed relief.
Atlantic League’s Kentucky Wild Health Genomes Sign Moises Sierra, Brandon Leibrandt
2022/03/atlantic-leagues-kentucky-wild-health-genomes-sign-moises-sierra-brandon-leibrandt.htmlHe spent some time in 2020 with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and played with the Mexican League's Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos last year. … The Kentucky Wild Health Genomes of the independent Atlantic League recently signed outfielder Moises Sierra and left-hander Brandon Leibrandt, according to the league transactions log.
Wladimir Balentien Announces Retirement From NPB
2022/01/wladimir-balentien-announces-retirement-from-npb.htmlThe Swallows would make the Finals, but fall to the Chunichi Dragons in six games. … The 37-year-old is best known for setting the NPB's single-season home run record in 2013 when he slugged 60 home runs for Tokyo's Yakult Swallows.
Recapping The CPBL’s International Player Signings
2022/01/recapping-the-cpbls-international-player-signings.htmlWei Chuan Dragons… Chinese Professional Baseball League teams are preparing for their spring camps, and the last several months have seen the CPBL's five clubs adding some familiar foreign-born names to their rosters.
CPBL’s Wei Chuan Dragons Sign Ronny Rodriguez
2022/01/cpbls-wei-chuan-dragons-sign-ronny-rodriguez.htmlThe Wei Chuan Dragons of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League announced this afternoon they've agreed to a deal with infielder Ronny Rodriguez (h/t to CPBL Stats). … It'll be the first CPBL action for the 29-year-old, who spent some time in Japan last season as a member of the Nippon-Ham Fighters.
CPBL’s Wei Chuan Dragons Sign Jake Brigham
2022/01/cpbls-wei-chuan-dragons-sign-jake-brigham.htmlThe Wei Chuan Dragons of the Chinese Professional Baseball League announced earlier this week that right-hander Jake Brigham had signed a contract for the 2022 season. … This is Brigham's second stint with the Dragons, as he began last season with the Taipei-based team before heading to the Korean Baseball Organization's Kiwoom Heroes last April.
Yankees Decline Club Option On Joely Rodriguez
2021/11/yankees-decline-club-option-on-joely-rodriguez.htmlThe lefty also pitched very well with the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball in 2018-19, which drew attention from…… The left-hander will instead receive a $500K buyout and enter free agency.
Daisuke Matsuzaka To Retire After 2021 NPB Season
2021/07/daisuke-matsuzaka-to-retire-after-2021-npb-season.htmlHe appeared in parts of three seasons with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Chunichi Dragons, and though he continued to be limited by injuries, Matsuzaka did get one last day in the sun as a member of the 2018 NPB All-Star team. … Veteran right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka will retire following the 2021 season, as per an announcement from the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (hat tip to The Kyodo News).
KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes Acquire Jake Brigham, Waive Josh A. Smith
2021/04/kbos-kiwoom-heroes-acquire-jake-brigham-waive-josh-a-smith.htmlBrigham had been pitching with the Wei Chuan Dragons Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League. … Per Jee-ho Yoo of South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, the Heroes announced that they've reacquired righty Jake Brigham and waived right-hander Josh A.
NL Notes: Nationals, Third Base, Coaching Announcements, Reds, Cubs
2021/02/nl-notes-nationals-third-base-coaching-announcements-reds-cubs.htmlJose Moreno, the Manager of the Year in the Venezuelan Winter League this season, will take over as manager for the High-A Dayton Dragons in the Reds' system, per the Athletic's C. … The 23-year-old has produced a meager .051 ISO over his first 165 plate appearances, including just a solitary double in 122 plate appearances in 2020.
International Transactions: 12/27/20
2020/12/international-transactions-122720.htmlThe CPBL's Wei Chuan Dragons announced the signings of right-handers Junichi Tazawa, Jake Brigham and Drew Gagnon, as well as utilityman Rosell Herrera (h/t to CPBL Stats). … The CTBC Brothers of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League are nearing an agreement with right-hander Gabriel Ynoa, reports Daniel Kim of ESPN (Twitter link).
NPB/KBO Notes: Dice-K, Mengden, Almonte, Yoon
2020/12/npbkbo-notes-dice-k-mengden-almonte-yoon.htmlThe former Red Sox right-hander returned to NPB in 2015 and has since pitched with the SoftBank Hawks and Chunichi Dragons. … The 40-year-old righty signed a one-year deal with the Seibu Lions in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball earlier this week, according to the Japan Times, rejoining the club for which he starred from 1999-2006.
Wei-Yin Chen Agrees To Deal With Hanshin Tigers
2020/12/wei-yin-chen-agrees-to-deal-with-hanshin-tigers.htmlAt that time, he was coming off five seasons starring for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan, where he posted with a 2.48 ERA. … Southpaw Wei-Yin Chen has agreed to join the Hanshin Tigers for 2021, per MLB Insider Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
NPB/KBO Notes: Ohno, Alcantara, Romero, Bour
2020/11/npbkbo-notes-ohno-alcantara-romero-bour.htmlLeft-hander Yudai Ohno announced this week that he plans to stay with NPB's Chunichi Dragons, and MLB.com's Jon Morosi now adds that the star southpaw inked a three-year pact with the Dragons. … Ohno has drawn some MLB interest, but it seems the 32-year-old will stay in Japan for the long term.
Spencer Patton, Yudai Ohno Reportedly Drawing MLB Interest
2020/11/spencer-patton-yudai-ohno-reportedly-drawing-mlb-interest.htmlYokohama DeNa Baystars reliever Spencer Patton has caught the attention of a few teams, reports Robert Murray of Fansided; so too has Chunichi Dragons starter Yudai Ohno, per a report from Jon Morosi of MLB Network. … is an indication the Dragons wouldn't be willing to make him available or if the 32-year-old is simply content in his current situation.
Wei-Yin Chen Signs With NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines
2020/09/wei-yin-chen-signs-npb-chiba-lotte-marines.htmlThe Taiwanese lefty wasn't able to latch on with another MLB organization, so he'll instead return to NPB, where he starred for the Chunichi Dragons for five seasons prior to his original MLB deal with the Orioles. … It's been nearly a year since veteran left-hander Wei-Yin Chen pitched in a professional game, but the former Orioles and Marlins hurler will be returning to the mound with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
Mariners Release Carlos Gonzalez, Wei-Yin Chen
2020/06/mariners-release-carlos-gonzalez-wei-yin-chen.htmlChen began his career with the Chunichi Dragons back in 2005, and posted an impressive 2.59 ERA over 650 2/3…… The Mariners released a pair of veterans on minor league contracts, as Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports that Carlos Gonzalez and Wei-Yin Chen were both let go from the organization within the last few days.
Former MLB Players In NPB: Japan Pacific League
2020/05/former-mlb-players-in-npb-japan-pacific-league.htmlThe now-39-year-old veteran pitched just 5 1/3 innings for the Chunichi Dragons last year due to a shoulder injury that, according to the Japan Times, was caused by an excited fan grabbing/yanking his arm (seriously). … As such, we'll split the "names to watch" rundown into two posts -- one covering the Japan Pacific League and another still to come on the Japan Central League.
Former MLB Players In NPB: Japan Central League
2020/06/former-mlb-players-in-npb-japan-central-league.htmlHe did post a strong 2.99 mark with the Chunichi Dragons in 2018. … Hisashi Iwakuma, RHP: Perhaps the most well-known player on this list, Iwakuma was a rock in the Mariners' rotation from 2012-16 before shoulder injuries interrupted a very strong MLB run.
Rangers Sign Joely Rodriguez
2019/12/rangers-to-sign-joely-rodriguez.htmlRodriguez spent most of the previous two years, including all of last season, in Japan as a member of the Chunichi Dragons. … DECEMBER 9: The Rangers have agreed to a two-year, $5.5MM contract with left-hander Joely Rodriguez, pending a physical, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports.