NPB Japan Series-winning sidearmer first made available for MLB teams through posting system amid Roki Sasaki and Tomoyuki Sugano rumors

The influx of NPB players to the MLB will continue to the 2025 season as Japan Series-winning pitcher Koyo Aoyagi has been posted and will be available to be signed within a 45-day deadline. The Hanshin Tigers sidearmer was the first to undergo the league's now-famous posting system ahead of compatriots Roki Sasaki and Tomoyuki Sugano, whose postings are heavily anticipated.

Aoyagi was part of the Hanshin Tigers' 2023 championship-winning team, which unseated the defending champion Orix Buffaloes squad led by three-time Pacific League MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

"RHP Koyo Aoyagi's 45-day negotiating window with teams has begun, after the Hanshin Tigers made his posting official. Aoyagi, a sidearm starting pitcher, had 6.2 K/9 and a 1.307 WHIP over 114 innings this year," MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi said on Thursday.

Known for his sidearm and sometimes submarine pitching, Aoyagi's best year in NPB came in 2022 when he led the Central League in wins and ERA that merited an All-Star and Best Nine selection.

Aoyagi posted a 13-4 record with four complete games and two shutout appearances. He boasted a 2.05 ERA with 132 strikeouts in 162 and 1/3 innings pitched during the aforementioned campaign.

MLB teams are on the lookout for official posting of NPB ace Roki Sasaki and Tomoyuki Sugano

Major league teams are now keeping a close eye on the posting of NPB young gun Roki Sasaki and veteran Tomoyuki Sugano. It is reported that Sasaki has garnered interest from both the World Series champion LA Dodgers and NL West rival San Diego Padres. On the other hand, lips are mum about interest in Sugano.

Sasaki's highly publicized posting process, which has yet to be made official, has been the talk of the MLB sphere along with Juan Soto's next destination. The young ace from Japan broke the conventional unspoken rule of being posted earlier than his intended eligibility. This, in turn, will give his original team, the Chiba Lotte Marines, a minuscule return from his posting.

Sugano, meanwhile, is seeking another shot stateside after a renaissance in the 2024 season. The Yomiuri Giants veteran was originally posted in 2020, but no team took a chance on him. This time around, two-time MVP Sugano added another Central League MVP distinction to his name in 2024—10 years since his first.