MLB analyst believes Shota Imanaga's skills could propel him to MLB stardom- "The underlying stuff looks really good"
There are several sought-after pitchers available on the free agent market, however, Japanese starter Shota Imanaga may be one of the most underrated. The 30-year-old is expected to be posted by the Yokohama BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball before next Monday, which could spark a bidding war between several clubs.
"Could Shota Imanaga be this offseason's biggest steal? @ImAriBeRKO explains why the NPB product is an even bigger deal than Yoshinobu Yamamoto. #MLB #MLBTwitter" - @PTSTNews
Although much of the attention this offseason in terms of players making the jump to the MLB has belonged to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shoto Imanaga will likely find a number of teams interested in his services. That being said, given his age, many across the MLB expect Imanaga to secure a less lucrative and shorter-term deal than Yamamoto, who is only 25 years old.
According to MLB analyst Lance Brozdowski, Imanaga could become a potential star when he makes the jump to North America. "The underlying stuff looks really good", Brozdowski said of Imanaga's variety of pitches and his abilities on the mound.
"It's a @BBisntBoring on the Go: @LanceBroz gives his expert analysis on the other Japanese pitcher MLB teams are lining up for, Shota Imanaga" - @BBisntBoring
Brozdowski believes that Imanaga will find himself in a similar situation as that of fellow Japanese hurler Kodai Senga, who excelled for the New York Mets in his rookie season. Senga signed a five-year, $75,000,000 contract with the Mets last offseason, which could likely be similar to the deal that Imanaga might be able to secure.
Shota Imanaga has excelled in his time in Japan
In Imanaga's eight seasons in NPB, he has been a reliable pitcher for the Yokohama BayStars. During that span, Imanaga has posted a 64-50 record with a solid 3.18 ERA, 1.118 WHIP, and 1,021 strikeouts. The fact that he is a left-handed pitcher that throws a Splitter is something that Brozdowski believes makes him stand out.
It's likely that nearly every contending team in the MLB will be interested in Imanaga, however, the clubs that he has most strongly been linked to are the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs.