You’ve probably heard of him by now, and chances are, you’d love to have him on your team. But what makes him so special?
At just 23 years old, this Japanese phenom brings incredible velocity to the mound. He routinely fires fastballs in the 100-102 MPH range, and has even reached 104 MPH as a starting pitcher.
On April 10, 2022, while playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB), Sasaki made history by throwing a perfect game—striking out 19 batters along the way. Incredibly, he struck out 13 consecutive hitters, breaking the MLB record of 10 in a row.
If that wasn’t enough, Sasaki followed up with another remarkable performance in his next start, tossing 8 perfect innings before being pulled by his coach to protect his arm. That stretch brought his total to 52 consecutive batters retired over two games—an almost unheard-of feat.
But Sasaki’s game isn’t just about raw speed. He also wields a devastating splitter that drops off the plate, along with a slider and curveball that boast plenty of movement.
In his brief four-year career in the NPB, Sasaki has made 64 appearances, compiling a 29-15 record with a dazzling 2.10 ERA. Over 394.2 innings, he racked up an astonishing 505 strikeouts while allowing just 265 hits.
It’s clear: this kid can pitch. But the real question is, how will he fare transitioning to Major League Baseball? Historically, Japanese pitchers have made successful transitions to the MLB, though it often takes time for them to adjust to the different ball, rule changes, and the faster pace of the game. Last season, two rookie pitchers from Japan, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga, posted strong numbers, with ERA’s of 3.00 and 2.91, respectively, and Imanaga finishing with a 15-3 record.
Will Sasaki follow suit and be that good in his first MLB season?
One thing’s for sure: whichever team lands him will add a dominant starter to their rotation, and whoever faces him will be in for a challenge.