MIAMI — Japanese-born first baseman Rintaro Sasaki announced he will sign with the Miami Marlins, choosing the eighth-round draft pick over a return to Stanford University and a first-round selection in Nippon Professional Baseball.
“I, Rintaro Sasaki, have decided to play for the Miami Marlins,” the 21-year-old said at a news conference in his hometown of Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture. “More than anyone else, I understand that I still have a lot to prove. I know better than anyone that I have a long way to go.”
Sasaki’s eighth-round selection — 235th overall — carries a slot value of $239,200. MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo reported that Sasaki signed for $210,200. The deal ends a three-way tug-of-war between the Marlins, Stanford and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, which won exclusive NPB negotiating rights after both SoftBank and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars selected Sasaki in the NPB first round last October.
Sasaki had been projected as the No. 1 selection in the 2024 NPB Draft but instead enrolled at Stanford, where he had a more direct path to a big league organization than waiting nine years to become an international free agent or having a Japanese team post him. After hitting seven homers and posting a .790 OPS in 2025, Sasaki broke out this spring with 16 homers, a .952 OPS and nearly as many walks (45) as strikeouts (50) in 2026.
“Even if this path ultimately turns out to be the wrong one, I don’t want to live with any regrets,” Sasaki said. “Rather than measuring my life by whether I succeed or fail, I want to measure it by whether I had the courage to take on a challenge. That belief is what led me to make this decision.”
Sasaki expressed gratitude to the Japanese clubs that drafted him. “I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars for believing in me and selecting me in the first round of the NPB Draft,” he said. “In particular, I want to thank the SoftBank Hawks. Even before the draft, they traveled to the United States several times to meet with me, prepared extensive materials, and welcomed me warmly during my visit to their facilities in Fukuoka. They treated me with tremendous sincerity and respect, and I am deeply grateful for everything they did.”
“I believe it is both my mission and my destiny to help forge a new path,” Sasaki said. “With that in mind, I will give everything I have in America.”
The Marlins have not announced when Sasaki will report to a minor league affiliate, though eighth-round picks from this month’s draft are expected to begin assignments in the coming weeks.