Roki Sasaki’s decision is looming.
The Japanese phenom will soon sign with a major league team, and after meeting with team representatives in the U.S., is back home.
His agent, Joel Wolfe told reporters (via Mike Puma of the New York Post) that Sasaki’s likely next step will be to narrow down his list of suitors and potentially visit one or two cities before the signing period for international free agents.
That period begins on Jan. 15. Sasaki’s posting period opened up on Dec. 9, and he has to sign by Jan. 23, but cannot do so prior to Jan 15. By then, all 30 teams’ bonus pools will be reset at what is around $7 million.
Because he’s only 23, Sasaki falls under the international bonus pool rules, meaning every team is capped at about the same dollar amount for what it could offer and they will have to present Sasaki with the best environment for his baseball and personal life.
The Mets and Yankees have both met with the right-hander.
