"Not stereotypical Japanese players" - Dodgers insider claims Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, Roki Sasaki defy the typical Yoshinobu Yamamoto mold

Roki Sasaki is the latest pitcher from Japan to hit the MLB market this year and insider Dylan Hernandez believes that, unlike Yoshinobu Yamamoto last year, he belongs to a new breed of Japanese players.

Japan's NPB is widely recognized as the second-best baseball league in the world and they regularly have talented players posted to the MLB. Speaking on the popular podcast MartyTimeTV, Hernandez gave his opinion on how Sasaki's physical attributes defy the typical mold of Japanese players:

"He kind of fits this new mold of Japanese player. Probably the third guy I can think of, Yu Darvish being the first, Ohtani being the second... These guys are physically big guys." Hernandez added.

"Yamamoto kind of looks like the traditional Japanese player."

This time last year, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the biggest name to make his way across the Pacific to the MLB market. Compared to Yamamoto, Hernandez believes that Sasaki is a new breed of Japanese player.

Like Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish, the 23-year-old has a big frame physically, which is not typical of Japanese players. While Ohtani and Darvish have both been successful in the MLB, it remains to be seen what the future holds for Sasaki.

Roki Sasaki was selected by the Chiba Lotte Marines in the 2019 NPB Draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2021. He soon established himself as a top pitcher, and was also part of the Japanese team that won the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

In his four years in the NPB, Sasaki has made two All-Star appearances and pitched a perfect game in 2022. He also holds a world record with 13 consecutive strikeouts in a single game.

Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki outlines his priorities ahead of MLB move

Ahead of his much-anticipated move to the MLB, Japanese RHP Roki Sasaki has outlined the qualities he is looking for in an organization. According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, Sasaki is prioritizing comfort, lifestyle, stability and an organization's history with player development, which will guide his decision.

After scooping up Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the market last year, many believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers will be frontrunners for Sasaki. Given the Japanese connection, they might well be, but a host of other teams will also be in pursuit of his services.