[Seibu] Tatsuya Imai is considering a shot at the majors through posting… He will discuss with the team after the season
Sports Hochi
2025.9.27(土) 02:00
It was learned on the 26th through an interview with a related person that Seibu Lions pitcher Tatsuya Imai (27) is considering a shot at playing in the US Major Leagues this offseason through the posting system. On that day, the team lost to Nippon-Ham completely eliminating their chances of participating in the CS. Imai has been negotiating behind the scenes with the team through his agent, and it appears that a direct meeting will be held after the end of the season. One of the best right-handed pitchers in the NPB, Imai is highly regarded in MLB, and if the team approves, a bidding war is expected.
There is a possibility that Imai, the Leo’s powerful pitcher, will be heading overseas. He has long had a strong desire to play in the majors, and through his agent, he has expressed his desire to challenge the team using the posting system. The team is expected to confirm his intentions directly after the season and then decide whether to approve or reject the offer.
When asked about his desire to pitcher. Right now, I’m just thinking about becoming the best in Japanese professional baseball.” If all goes well, Imai is expected to acquire domestic free agent rights next year and international free agent rights the year after. The team is counting on Imai to continue as an ace next season, but in the past they have allowed Shinji Mori (2006), Daisuke Matsuzaka (2007), Kazuhisa Makita (2018), and Yusei Kikuchi (2019) to be posted.
At 27 years old, the young starting right fielder is highly regarded in the U.S. baseball world. In September, ESPN, a U.S. sports network, listed him as one of the “players expected to challenge MLB this offseason,” saying, “He is the fastest starter in Japan despite his slim frame. The fact that small pitcher players such as Yamamoto and Imanaga are also active in MLB is also a boost. The deal is expected to exceed $200 million (about 30 billion yen). If the deal is posted, Seibu will receive a large amount of money as well.
Imai was the winning pitcher at the 2016 Summer Koshien, and joined Seibu as the first draft pick that same year. In 2011, he recorded his first 10 wins, and in 2012 he won the title for most strike out. He has grown into one of Japan’s leading pitcher, using his unique relaxed pitching style to deliver a fastball with a maximum speed of 160 km/h and slider.
In his ninth season this year, he has made 23 appearances with a record of 9 wins and 5 losses, ERA 1.77. On June 17th, he set a new team record with 17 strike out in a single game against DeNA (Yokohama). This season, he has attracted a lot of attention in the United States, with major league scouts making repeated pilgrimages to Imai at almost every game. Everyone is keeping a close eye on Leo’s ace.
◆Posting System A system under which NPB players can transfer to MLB before acquiring overseas free agency rights. If their Japanese team approves, NPB accepts the team’s application and informs MLB, and negotiations are open for 45 days from the day after all 30 major league teams are notified. The application processing period runs from November 1st to December 15th. A transfer fee is paid by the MLB team to the player’s Japanese team based on the total contract amount. Players under the age of 25, like Sasaki, who was 23 when he transferred from Lotte to the Dodgers under this system last offseason, can only sign minor league contracts, and the total amount of signing bonuses and other payments is limited.
◆Imai Tatsuya (Imai Tatsuya) Born May 9, 1998 in Tochigi Prefecture. Age 27. As the ace pitcher at Sakushin Gakuin, he led his team to their first victory in 54 years at the 2016 Summer Koshien, and was selected for the U-18 Japan National Team. He joined Seibu as the first draft pick that same year. He established himself as a starter from his second year, and from 2011 he had 10 wins in two consecutive years. In 2012 he won his first title with 187 strike out. He is 180 cm tall and weighs 80 kg. He bats and throws right-handed. His annual salary this season is 180 million yen (estimated amount).
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