Roki Sasaki, a rising 23-year-old right-handed pitcher, is about to sign with a Major League Baseball team during a rare nine-day free agency period that starts on Wednesday. This window has significant implications for Latin American teenagers, as their multimillion-dollar handshake agreements could be impacted by Sasaki’s decision.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Toronto Blue Jays are leading the pursuit for Sasaki. If Sasaki had stayed in Japan until the 2026 season, he could have secured a nine-figure contract, similar to Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million deal with the Dodgers in December 2023. However, Sasaki qualifies as an international amateur under MLB rules due to his age and lack of experience in Nippon Professional Baseball, meaning he will be limited to a minor league contract with a strict spending cap.
Impact of Sasaki’s Contract on Latin American Teenagers
Sasaki’s free agency coincides with the 2025 international amateur signing period, which typically includes young players, primarily from Latin America. Players from countries like the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico often sign unofficial deals well before the official signing period, with some agreements being made as early as when players are 14.
Because Sasaki is expected to command a large portion of each team’s bonus pool, some teams may be forced to forgo agreements with Latin American players to accommodate his contract. This could complicate the prospects of players who have already secured handshake deals with teams, as available bonus pool funds could shrink.
In 2024, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Mexico alone saw hundreds of international amateur signings. For 2025, teams have bonus pools ranging from $5.1 to $7.6 million. Sasaki’s deal could consume a significant portion of these funds, forcing some teams to back out of deals with other international amateurs.
The Bonus Pools and the Teams with the Largest Allotments
Teams have annual caps on how much they can spend on international amateurs, with amounts determined by factors such as the team’s previous record. For the 2025 signing period, eight teams have the highest allotment of around $7.6 million, including the Athletics, Cincinnati, and Tampa Bay, while others like the Dodgers and San Francisco are at the lower end with $5.1 million.
Starting Wednesday, teams can trade for additional bonus pool space in $250,000 increments, which could help accommodate a potential Sasaki signing. Some clubs are holding off on finalizing deals with international amateurs to reserve space for Sasaki, or to delay signings until 2026.
Why Teams Might Prioritize Sasaki Over Other Free Agents
Sasaki is considered an elite talent, already performing at a high level in professional leagues and international tournaments. If he were a professional free agent, he would likely command a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars. However, like Shohei Ohtani in 2017, Sasaki values playing at the highest level of MLB over maximizing his initial contract.
Sasaki demonstrated his elite pitching ability during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he threw multiple pitches exceeding 100 mph. His 2023 season in Japan also showcased his potential, with a career ERA of 2.10 over four seasons.
Should Sasaki make a major league roster in 2025, he would earn the minimum MLB salary of $760,000 and become eligible for arbitration in 2027. The Chiba Lotte Marines, Sasaki’s Japanese team, will receive a small release fee for his signing, as per the posting system, similar to Ohtani’s contract with the Angels.
Early MLB Entry Worked for Ohtani
Choosing to enter MLB early benefited Ohtani, as he sacrificed immediate financial gain for the opportunity to play in the major leagues sooner. Ohtani’s contracts in his first three seasons were modest, but his earnings soared after arbitration, culminating in a record $700 million contract with the Dodgers in 2024. Sasaki may follow a similar path, prioritizing his MLB debut over a larger signing bonus.
