The Philadelphia Phillies do not have a history of signing players from Japan. They are one of many franchises that missed out on acquiring the next phenom from the country, Roki Sasaki, in favor of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
The Phillies made some headway in signing Japanese players on Friday. They signed pitcher Koyo Aoyagi to a minor league contract (subscription required) with an invitation to spring training, per The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Lochlahn March. The pitcher is one of the latest players from Japan aiming to make a name for himself in MLB.
Phillies agree to minor league deal with three-time NPB All-Star Koyo Aoyagi
Over nine seasons with the Hanshin Tigers in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, Aoyagi has a 61-47 record with a 3.08 ERA. The 31-year-old sidearmer has made three-time All-Star teams in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
In a piece by MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, Phillies assistant general manager Jorge Velandia commented on what led to the club signing the pitcher.
“We like [Aoyagi] for his uniqueness,” Velandia said, per Zolecki. “You don’t see many guys from the sidearm angle. He’s been a warrior in Japan. He’s been a starter and reliever. So many different things. Just come and show us what you’ve got. That’s his MO, too. He’s a warrior. He’s a guy who wants an opportunity to come here and pitch in the big leagues.”
The Phillies will take advantage of Aoyagi’s past as both a starter and a reliever. The franchise does not currently have an opening in their starting rotation. However, they have a spot available in their bullpen, according to Zolecki.
Aoyagi decided not to follow his fellow Japanese teammates, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasaki, to the West Coast with the Dodgers. The Phillies’ signing of the Japanese pitcher will represent only the third player from the country to appear with the team if the pitcher makes the roster. Former players Tadahito Iguchi (2007-08) and So Taguchi (2008) are the other players from Japan who have spent time with Philly.
“It’s good for all parties,” Velandia said on the addition of Aoyagi. “It’s good for what we’ve been growing in Japan. Let’s see if something comes out of this. It’s cool. It’s another weapon that we don’t have in a sidearmer. Roster spots are hard to get. We’re glad that he chose the Phillies. We showed him that this is a good place.”
Zolecki writes that Aoyagi uses four pitches: a fastball that reaches 87-91 mph, a cutter, a sweepy slider and a split-changeup.
The Phillies have an open spot in their bullpen following Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman becoming free agents. Will Aoyagi make the Phillies roster with a strong performance in spring training? Time will tell, but he represents an intriguing addition to the roster. He possesses value due to his past as both a starter and a reliever.
