YOKOHAMA—High school baseball pitching sensation Shoki Oda has scouts in Japan and the United States salivating over his record-breaking fastball launched from his 186-centimeter frame.
The lanky fireballer wants to challenge himself by taking his talent overseas, bypassing the Japanese professional leagues that he once dreamed about.
“I have decided to take on the challenge on American soil toward my ultimate goal of becoming the best pitcher in the world,” Oda told a news conference at Yokohama High School on Oct. 15.
The 18-year-old, who is widely regarded as the best pitcher in his class, said enrolling at a U.S. university is among his options.
Oda said the most important reason for going stateside at this stage is “the language barrier, which is definitely the biggest hurdle.”
“By immersing myself in real-world English from a young age, I will be able to communicate effectively with my teammates and staff when I make it to the major leagues,” he said.
The path Oda would choose had drawn close attention because the right-hander is highly appraised by Japanese and U.S. pro scouts.
He completed individual interviews with Nippon Professional Baseball teams by Oct. 14.
As a second-year student, he helped Yokohama High School win the annual spring national invitational tournament for the first time in 19 years.
During the Kanagawa prefectural tournament for the National High School Baseball Championship in July, his fastball clocked 157 kph, including in the finals.
With his school representing the prefecture at the national high school championship at Hanshin Koshien Stadium in August, he threw a pitch clocked at 156 kph, the fastest in the tournament’s history.
The achievements made Oda dream even higher.
“When I was little, I dreamed of NPB and wanted to play there,” he said. “But after being able to perform on a great stage with Yokohama High School, I began to feel that I want to test myself and succeed on an even higher stage.”
Japanese high school players seeking to directly join a Major League Baseball team can sign as an international amateur free agent.
Under the system, they are free to negotiate with any of the 30 MLB clubs, but can only sign a minor league contract.