Japanese slugger blazing his スポーツ の 始まりown baseball path in U.S. via Stanford, MLB Draft League

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

June 12, 2024 at 11:35 JST

• Share
• Tweet list

• Print

Rintaro Sasaki poses for photos at the Sunken Diamond baseball field at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. on May 31. (AP Photo)

STANFORD, Calif.--When balls start landing on the Stanford football team’s practice grass way beyond the wall in right-center field, everybody knows Japanese slugger Rintaro Sasaki must be taking batting practice at nearby Sunken Diamond.

Even the swim coaches have trained themselves to be on high alert on the pool deck more than 450 feet away just in case the left-handed hitting Sasaki somehow sends one that far — and they believe he will soon enough.

His coach is counting on it.

“He might splash a few,” Stanford coach David Esquer said. “He’s pulling toward the pool for sure.”

Sasaki, who hit 140 high school home runs and then made waves by opting out of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league draft, has been immersing himself in classes and a new culture on Stanford’s Bay Area campus for two-plus months. He’s learning English and getting settled in a baseball routine that has included road trips with the team before he begins his collegiate career in earnest this fall.

The 19-year-old prospect hit a two-run homer and an RBI single in his U.S. debut Tuesday in the MLB Draft League, playing for the Trenton Thunder alongside more players who hope to one day develop into major leaguers. The Thunder won 11-1 at Frederick, Maryland, and Sasaki is set for his home debut Friday in New Jersey.

Before leaving town, the savvy Sasaki reminded Esquer his games will be streamed so the coach can watch. He also has requested help in finding another team once the Draft League season ends.

“He’s fired up for it,” said Esquer, the seventh-year Stanford coach who previously spent 18 seasons at rival California. “He wants to play.”

And Sasaki hardly seems fazed by the expectations that come with being a trendsetter of sorts given he is taking his own unique path. He comes across as mature beyond his years when discussing the importance of finding something to fall back on after his baseball career is through. Most Japanese players — including Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani — first become professionals at home, often with goals of coming to the United States already having years of experience.

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.

Another key message from his father: “I have to earn it. Nothing comes free,” Sasaki shared during a recent interview at Sunken Diamond, Stanford’s ballpark.

There’s no precedent for an elite Japanese prospect such as Sasaki foregoing his country’s draft system. International players with nine years of professional service time can come to Major League Baseball as free agents, while pros with fewer than nine years can ask to be posted by their Japanese club — a system in which that team receives a fee depending on the size of the player’s contract.

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 over $2.3 million in 2017.

By attending college in the U.S., Sasaki will be eligible for the draft in three years, expediting his potential path to the big leagues. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, pitcher Paul Skenes of Pittsburgh, received a $9.2 million signing bonus.

While Sasaki is striving to play at the highest level one day, he insists for now the focus is on taking each necessary step to get there while enjoying his college career first.

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 rather than later.

Sasaki acknowledges that Ohtani’s stardom and success here along with that of Kikuchi greatly impacted him.

“They’re the ones who influenced my decision,” he said.

Away from home for the first time, Sasaki insists he is adjusting just fine thanks to all the support surrounding him.

“I never miss Japan,” he said. “I enjoy the challenge.”

And no question Sasaki is thrilled to be somewhere like Stanford.

Esquer considers this a perfect fit. He applauds Sasaki for his courage.

“It’s very brave to do what he’s doing, going to another country right after high school,” he said.

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.

“Stanford is a leading school in America,” he said. “I still have big respect for the other schools I visited.”

He has embraced using Uber Eats to order food, like his favorite, Chipotle. Sasaki is studying English and physics — and making sure he can speak English well is his biggest anxiety at the moment.

He recently completed his first quarter of classes.

“He’s quietly charismatic despite speaking little English, very impressive,” Esquer said. “Everybody is impressed by him, his teammates. He brought energy to the field as if he was active and ready to play — and he can play.”

Despite that unease with the language barrier, Sasaki can speak near-perfect English for much of what he needs to say. He thanks everybody who has welcomed him here and made the adjustment so smooth and comfortable as he begins his new life.

“My teammates are so good, they are so kind,” he said in English, sporting a big smile. “I appreciate the teammates, they’re just so helpful all the time, also coach Esquer and the other baseball coaches are good (people). I love Stanford baseball.”

• ·「おかしな魔法洋裁店」お菓子みたいにかわいいドレスが着たい、そんな夢が叶うお店（試し読みあり）
• ·【東京６Ｒ・２歳新馬】フォーエバーヤングの半妹ブラウンラチェットが完勝　ルメール騎手「すごくいい」
• ·「劇場版ハイキュー!!」×タワレコカフェに店員姿の日向たちのグッズ　横断幕など装飾
• ·「え！？」ＴＷＩＣＥ・モモ　激変した金髪姿にファン大興奮「まじで神レベル」「破壊力やばい」
• ·一族の陰謀と2人の男の間で揺れるヒロイン描く、和風ファンタジー婚姻譚「嫁食い」
• ·「１１・１７引退」齋藤彰俊、「後楽園ホール」ラストマッチで「平成維震軍」再結成…１０・１４後楽園ホール
• ·「劇場版ハイキュー!!」×タワレコカフェに店員姿の日向たちのグッズ　横断幕など装飾
• ·【道場へ行こう】チームと呼ばれるだけで結束感が出る不思議…初めての団体戦
• ·「ＹＯＡＳＯＢＩ」のスポーツ報知特別版をヤフーショップで販売…結成５周年記念東京ドーム公演で３種類
• ·【中京１Ｒ・２歳未勝利】角田大和がＪＲＡ通算１００勝　「もっとたくさんの勝ち星をマークしたい」
• ·トレンド入りした「＃ゴージャスちゃん」、アイドルホース登場＆勝利にネットも歓喜「かわいくて強かった」
• ·貴景勝が休場後初めて師匠と連絡　師匠「治療に通っている。首の様子を聞いた」…進退については「まだなんとも」
• ·【11月4日～11月10日】週間単行本売り上げランキング
• ·大谷翔平が好機で申告敬遠、燃えたベッツが勝ち越し打…２打席連続適時二塁打も
• ·【阪神】前川右京がド根性キャッチ！　左翼フェンスに激突しながら満塁ピンチしのぐ
• ·３児の母・藤本美貴、９歳長女の勉強姿をアップ→フォロワーからの指摘に反応「人の家の子の…」