He’s going to be probably the most talked about free brokers in baseball this offseason, so that you higher try a Yoshinobu Yamamoto scouting report sooner quite than later. Clearly, it’s too quickly to know if he’ll find yourself being one of many greatest starting pitchers in MLB history. However outdoors of Shohei Ohtani and Cody Bellinger, Yamamoto may be the best free agent available on the market.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto Scouting Report
Baseball followers will get to know Yamamoto a bit higher subsequent season when he’s pitching within the huge leagues. However we needed to share a bit extra about him earlier than his free agency kicks into excessive gear and a number of other groups begin making bids for him.
As an illustration, what are Yamamoto’s pitches and what makes him such a particular expertise? That’s why we put collectively a Yoshinobu Yamamoto scouting report with every thing that you must find out about him.
Resume
Yamamoto has been with the Orix Buffaloes of the NPB since 2017 and has put collectively a resume that’s nearly too good to be true, particularly since he solely turned 25 this previous August. He’s been an NPB All-Star 5 instances and led the league in ERA 3 times. Yamamoto additionally has two no-hitters on his resume, one in 2022 and one in 2023.
During the last three seasons, he’s been Japan’s finest pitcher by a large margin. Yamamoto has received the pitching Triple Crown in every of his final three seasons, successful Japan’s model of the Cy Young (the Eiji Sawamura Award) all three seasons. He even received league MVP honors in each 2021 and 2022, outshining all of Japan’s place gamers. Staff-wise, Yamamoto helped lead the Buffaloes to the 2022 Japan Collection title regardless of dropping the sequence in seven video games in 2023. He was additionally part of the Japan staff that received Olympic gold in 2021 and received the World Baseball Traditional in 2023.
By the Numbers
For Yamamoto, stats say quite a bit about what makes him so particular. Since making his debut for the Buffaloes in 2017, Yamamoto has posted a document of 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA within the NPB. He’s thrown 897 innings throughout that point, putting out 922 batters to have a bit greater than a strikeout per inning whereas additionally producing a WHIP of 0.94.
It’s additionally price noting that NPB hitters are extra involved with making contact than MLB hitters, so pitchers averaging a strikeout per inning isn’t as commonplace. In actual fact, Yamamoto’s strikeout fee of 26.4% in Japan is considerably greater than the NPB common of 19.3%.
Repertoire
Clearly, Yamamoto’s numbers are spectacular, though the scouting reviews from Japan are another excuse why MLB groups are excessive on him. He has three pitches that could possibly be thought-about above-average and even plus pitches within the huge leagues. First, there may be his fastball, which sits round 95 mph however can generally transfer into the higher 90s.
Nevertheless, Yamamoto’s velocity is simply a part of his attraction. His curveball can also be thought-about among the many finest on this planet due to its spin fee. Yamamoto can also be capable of throw it for strikes or depart it out of the strike zone to get hitters to chase it. Lastly, he has a devastating splitter that he can throw almost as quick as his fastball however with extra motion, giving hitters suits.
Along with three elite pitches, Yamamoto will generally combine in a slider or a cutter, each of that are hardly ever used. Extra importantly, he has glorious command of his three pitches, which is proven by his profession WHIP of 0.94. Yamamoto has additionally proven sturdiness each in video games and in the course of the course of a season. In every of the final three seasons because the shortened 2020 season, he’s thrown at the very least 160 innings.
He was additionally requested to throw 138 pitches in Recreation 6 of the Japan Collection this previous season and was nonetheless throwing within the higher 90s towards the top of his outing. Regardless of an uncommon supply that mixes brief arm motion with an extended stride, Yamamoto exhibits good mechanics and the power to repeat his supply, which is why he’s capable of command his pitches and be constant.
A matter of concern
Regardless of his sensible stuff, there may be nonetheless some component of uncertainty with Yamamoto. For starters, whereas he’s well-built and takes care of his physique, Yamamoto is simply 5’10’’ and listed round 175 kilos. Clearly, the likes of Pedro Martinez, Tim Lincecum, and Marcus Stroman in immediately’s sport are proof that undersized pitchers can attain nice heights within the huge leagues. Nevertheless, Yamamoto’s dimension is at the very least a slight concern, particularly since he’s going to be getting a long-term deal.
In the meantime, Yamamoto must regulate to the variations between the NPB and the massive leagues. As an illustration, the ball is a bit greater and fewer cheesy, though Yamamoto threw MLB balls in the course of the World Baseball Traditional. Maybe extra importantly, beginning pitchers solely work as soon as per week in Japan whereas most MLB groups make the most of a five-man rotation and might’t at all times give starters further relaxation.
For instance, the Mets needed to constantly manipulate their rotation in 2023 in order that Kodai Senga solely made three begins on what MLB starters would contemplate “common” relaxation. Senga, regardless of getting some down-ballot votes within the Cy Younger race, was noticeably much less environment friendly in these three begins than he was the remainder of the yr, struggling to adapt to the massive leagues in that regard throughout his first season. It’s truthful to marvel if the staff that indicators Yamamoto must take comparable measures to offer him further relaxation in the course of the season.
Projection
Modest considerations apart, there may be each purpose to imagine that Yamamoto can change into one of many elite pitchers within the huge leagues.
He’s youthful and arguably extra achieved than Senga, who was an all-star and runner-up for Rookie of the 12 months in 2023 whereas additionally getting some Cy Younger consideration. That alone ought to present simply how excessive of a ceiling Yamamoto has if he could make a easy transition to the massive leagues. When all is alleged and achieved, Yamamoto has an opportunity to be extra profitable within the majors than another Japanese pitcher, which might be no small feat.
Source link
