簽下日本16歲投手結城海斗 - 美國職棒

July 08, 2018 02:26 PM
Updated July 08, 2018 05:01 PM

Reflecting a fresh approach to extend their scouting operations into the
Pacific Rim, the Royals have signed Kaito Yuki, a 16-year-old pitcher from
Japan who is believed to be the youngest player from his country to sign with
a major-league club.

Yuki is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound right-hander from Tondabayashi City in Osaka
Prefecture who recently graduated from junior high school. He popped onto the
Royals’ radar in recent months following the additions of Pacific Rim
coordinator Phil Dale and Japan scout Hiro Oya to the club’s staff.

Scouts have drawn comparisons between Yuki and Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish,
according to a report from a Japanese outlet published early Sunday that
referred to Yuki as “Darvish II.”

Yuki is a projectable arm who in the last year has seen his fastball climb up
to 88 mph. He has also begun to show a natural ability to wield a breaking
pitch.

Although he will not pitch this season, Yuki will soon come to the United
States to begin acclimating himself to the culture and language. The Royals
hope he will join the team’s instructional league in the fall but aim for
Yuki to make his professional debut in 2019.

Yuki’s signing is the latest example of the Royals extending their
international operation beyond the borders of Latin America, where they
focused most of their energy when general manager Dayton Moore’s tenure
began in 2006. They also signed 19-year-old Chih-Ting Wang(王志庭),
a pitcher from Taiwan, during the 2017 international period.

“The commitment that Mr. Glass and the Glass family, our president, Dayton
Moore (is important),” said assistant general manager Rene Francisco. “We
want to expand our scouting to different areas. Phil and Hiro should make us
better. They are going to make us better.”

Yuki is one of 20 international prospects to sign with the Royals during the
2018 period that opened on July 2. The list also includes
pitcher Yefri del Rosario and outfielder Juan Carlos Negret,
who the Royals signed in December following the international signing scandal
that led to MLB granting free agency to 12 prospects in the Braves’ system.
Omar Florentino and Wilmin Candelario, two switch-hitting shortstops from the
Dominican Republic, are among the others. They’ve also signed Venezuelan
players Jose Freites, a right-handed-hitting outfielder, and Dionne Salon,
a right-handed catcher.

During this period, the Royals have signed four left-handed pitchers, eight
right-handed pitchers, three infielders, four outfielders and one catcher.

There have been plenty of Japanese players who’ve left the country’s
professional league and made waves in the United States — Angels two-way
star Shohei Ohtani this year became the 64th Japanese-born player to make the
move, according to baseball-reference.com — but few, if any, have taken the
route Yuki has committed himself to.

“He’s not even in high school,” said Francisco, who oversees international
operations. “He and his family chose to sign with Kansas City instead of
going the normal route Japanese players take. It’s pretty amazing what this
kid is doing.

“Credit to Phil and Hiro.”



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