Royals sign Japanese junior high player
Kaito Yuki is headed to the Kansas City Royals organization instead of attending high school in Japan.
The 16-yearold pitcher agreed Sunday to a minor league contract with a $322,500 signing bonus. He is thought to be the first Japanese junior high school player to sign with a major league club.
“I wanted to play in the United States as soon as possible, rather than playing high school ball at Koshien Stadium (in Japan’s iconic national championship),” Yuki said in statement issued by the Royals.
Yuki is listed at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds and the right-hander’s fastball has been clocked at 87-88 mph. He was born on May 12, 2002.
“My goal is to do well in the majors. Not everybody is given that chance, so I want to do my best,” he said at a news conference in his hometown of Osaka.
Yuki has been studying English before his move to the United States. The Royals are optimistic that after paperwork is completed, he will arrive in August at the team’s spring training complex in Surprise, Arizona, to begin familiarizing himself with the local culture and language.
He would participate in the Royals’ fall instructional league in September and October, with the objective of making his professional debut in the minors next year.
“The first thing is for him to be patient and build up his body, and then if he stays on course, in five years get an invite to major league spring training,” said Hiroyuki Oya, a Royals international scout.