MILWAUKEE – Japanese-born slugger Rintaro Sasaki announced on his Instagram account on Sunday that he will sign with the Marlins.
A source told MLB.com that he will do so on Monday in Miami.
Sasaki, whom the Marlins took in the eighth round of this month’s MLB Draft, needed to decide between returning to Stanford University or signing with the Marlins or with Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball, which won exclusive negotiating rights over Yokohama DeNA BayStars after both selected him in the NPB first round last October.
Speaking at a news conference in his hometown of Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, Sasaki had the following statement:
“I, Rintaro Sasaki, have decided to play for the Miami Marlins.
"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.
"Even if this path ultimately turns out to be the wrong one, I don't want to live with any regrets.
"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.
"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.
"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. With that in mind, I will give everything I have in America."
Sasaki, 21, previously stated his goal was to find a way to the Majors. As the projected No. 1 selection in the 2024 NPB Draft, the first baseman instead went to 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 team in Japan post him for MLB clubs.
After hitting seven homers and posting a .790 OPS in 2025, Sasaki knocked 16 homers and recorded a .952 OPS with nearly as many walks (45) as strikeouts (50) in ‘26.
Sasaki’s eighth-round pick (235th overall) values at $239,200.
“It's ultimately, like you said, a difficult decision,” Frankie Piliere, Marlins vice president of amateur forecasting and player evaluation initiatives, said following the 2026 Draft. “Rintaro has a lot of good options, and I think he'll choose the one that's best for him. He's put himself in a position where he can make those great choices. Very lucky in that way. Not many of those players have those types of outstanding options, but we'll see. He's put himself in a great spot, and excited to see what he decides.”