Slugging first baseman Rintaro Sasaki hit 140 high school home runs back home in Japan but opted out of the Nippon Professional Baseball draft in order to take his own unique path. He is attending college in the U.S. and will play his first game here in New Jersey for Trenton of the MLB Draft League.
Rintaro Sasaki poses for photos at the Sunken Diamond baseball field at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., Friday, May 31, 2024. Slugging first baseman Sasaki hit 140 high school home runs back home in Japan and opted out of the Nippon Professional Baseball draft in order to take his own unique path. He is attending college in the U.S. and will be beginning his summer ball this week in New Jersey playing for Trenton of the MLB Draft League.
Before leaving town, the savvy Sasaki reminded Esquer his games will be streamed so the coach can watch. He has also requested help in finding another team once the Draft League season ends. Sasaki is determined to build a foundation for his life well into the future, long after his baseball days are done. His dad, Hiroshi, who coached Ohtani and Toronto pitcher Yusei Kikuchi in high school, instilled in him starting at a young age the need to “make a plan.” Sasaki notes he heard it so much, there’s no way it wouldn’t become ingrained in him.
Yet major league teams have agreed to strict spending limits on international players under 25 years old. That’s why Ohtani, who left Japan at 23, signed with the Los Angeles Angels for just more than $2.3 million in 2017. Longtime family friend Junpei Tomonaga offers assistance as an interpreter when Sasaki needs it, but he is determined to do this on his own sooner than later.
When Sasaki made his official recruiting visit, members of the Stanford Japanese department and community made a point to come see him, make him feel welcome. Not that you will hear Sasaki say anything negative about the other two schools who were at the top of his list, California and Vanderbilt.
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