The 2020-21 MLB free-agent class is widely considered to be weak. Outside of Trevor Bauer, George Springer, and J.T. Realmuto, there’s not a lot out there. Even the second-tier options would normally be third-tier choices.
Luckily for MLB teams, this appears to be a stacked market in Asia. After a few years with limited options that have mostly struggled, see Shogo Akiyama and Yusei Kikuchi, 2020 is different.
An elite Japanese pitcher and a top Korean shortstop top the market, but they’re not the only ones who can make an impact.
Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP, Yomiuri Giants
History
Sugano is a rare breed of Japanese pitcher who went to college before being drafted.