Japanese relief pitcher Hiroki Sanada’s exclusive negotiating rights will be up for auction, as Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker reports that the Yokohama Bay Stars have decided to post the 28-year-old right-hander.
However, based on Sanada’s mediocre numbers and Newman’s underwhelming scouting report it doesn’t sound as though he’s likely to draw a ton of interest from MLB teams.
Sanada had a 4.22 ERA and just 18 strikeouts in 49 innings this season, and Newman notes that his velocity was down this year while suggesting he’ll probably wind up with a minor-league contract at most. And there’s a chance he might not even draw any bids.
