Juan Soto signed a landmark free agent deal as the most coveted player available, but the second-most coveted free agent this winter will likely sign one of the smaller deals this winter. Roki Sasaki, a 23-year-old who has spent the last five years pitching for the Chibe Lotte Marines, will be subject to international bonus pools typically applied to true amateurs out of Latin America because he is a Japanese player under the age of 25. That gives the Royals and other teams that aren’t at the top of the league in revenues a chance at the young phenom.
Royals have done “due diligence” on Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki
