The MLB free agency is in full swing, and many teams are doing everything they can to tinker with their roster to have a better campaign in 2024.
Some even go as far as the other end of the world for a possible gem.
Well, why not? The best baseball player in the world right now is Shohei Ohtani. Over the last few years, several East Asian players have made the All-Star game, although that is not new.
Another reason East Asia could be a mine for the next great MLB prospect is the success of Japan in the World Baseball Classic. The Land of the Rising Sun, South Korea, and Taiwan are consistently top performers in the international arena.
Teams are looking at East Asia for their next signing, but who should fans watch out for or get excited about?
Top 5 free agents that could come to MLB next season:
1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Orix Buffaloes' Yoshinobu Yamamoto is sure to come to the MLB after the Japanese club posted about his free agency last month.
Teams with reported interest in the 25-year-old are the New York Mets, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, and the San Diego Padres.
Yamamoto's trophy case is already stacked. He won the Japanese Triple Crown from 2021 to 2023, something that only three players from America have done. He also won the Pacific League Golden Glove Award in those three years and earned the Japanese Series Championship in 2022.
Read more: 3 Ways Japanese Sensation and MVP Shohei Ohtani Can Help the Giants
2. Jung Hoo Lee
The KBO League has made Jung Hoo Lee available in the free agency. He is a player who has been under the radar of several MLB teams since last season, but his move to America was hindered by an ankle injury he suffered in his final season with the Kiwoom Heroes.
Lee, who plays as an outfielder, is the 2022 KBO League Most Valuable Player and a five-time KBO League Golden Glove Award winner.
Among the MLB teams that reportedly expressed interest in the 25-year-old are the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees.
3. ShÅta Imanaga
Nicknamed the "Throwing Philosopher," ShÅta Imanaga is a 30-year-old prospect ripe for MLB teams' plucking.
With the pitching department thinning out each season as players get injured, Imanaga is ready to fill in.
He won the Central League strikeout champion this year and is notable for his fastball that goes as fast as 91-92 mph (tops out at 96 mph[9]). His style is changeup, curveball, and slider.
4. Woo Suk Go
LG Twins stand out Woo Suk Go is another pitcher worth looking at. The 25-year-old was listed by his club and the Korean league for free agency, with January 3 at 5 p.m. ET as the expected closing window to sign him.
He recorded a 2.39 earned run average from 2019 to 2023. He also leads KBO in that span for recorded saves at 139. He has 334 strikeouts to 115 walks in 275+1⁄3 innings pitched.
Related article: Who Is Mets and Dodgers' Target Yoshinobu Yamamoto; Why His Arrival Is as Hyped as Shohei Ohtani's?
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