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Yokohama's Shoki Oda starts meeting MLB teams after Giants picked him first

Yokohama High's Shoki Oda, 18, has begun meeting MLB clubs in November, even though the Yomiuri Giants chose him first in the NPB draft on October 22.

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A young high school pitcher in a Yokohama High School uniform stands on a baseball mound during a game.
Image: 朝日新聞

Shoki Oda hasn't changed his mind. The 18-year-old right-hander from Yokohama High School has started meeting Major League Baseball clubs this month as he pushes for a career in the United States.

That's despite the Yomiuri Giants taking him with their first pick at the NPB (Japan's pro baseball league) draft on October 22. Oda has said he wants to play in America, and he is also considering going to a US university.

So how do MLB teams see him? Several club executives who have scouted the Japanese market for years shared their views, but only on condition of anonymity, because speaking openly could affect negotiations.

The road is a steep one for players who skip pro ball in Japan and head overseas straight out of high school. Where Oda ends up will depend on how these talks go, and they are only just getting started.

#baseball#mlb#npb#draft#shoki oda
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Oda Shoki's push for MLB over NPB · 2 updates

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  1. Giants Take Yokohama High's Shoki Oda First in NPB Draft Despite MLB Plans
  2. Yokohama's Shoki Oda starts meeting MLB teams after Giants picked him first

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