One of the names most often linked with the D-backs has been Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda, but it wasn't clear if he would even be available. That hurdle has now been cleared.
First, a quick refresher on the process for Japanese players, whose access to the major league market is controlled by their clubs - in Maeda's case, the Hiroshima Carp. We saw this last season, where the team decided not to put Maeda up for auction, instead opting to hold onto him. This was, I suspect, in part due to the change in rules concerning posting fees.