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Yusei Kikuchi looking to be the next great Japanese pitcher

By David Hill

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 23: General view of a baseball and rosin bag on the pitcher's mound prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers at Champion Stadium on March 23, 2018 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Tigers won 11-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 23: General view of a baseball and rosin bag on the pitcher's mound prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers at Champion Stadium on March 23, 2018 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Tigers won 11-3. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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Following the hype generated by Shohei Ohtani will not be an easy task. Nonetheless, Yusei Kikuchi may end up being the next great Japanese pitcher to come to the majors.

It will be virtually impossible to top the hype generated by Shohei Ohtani. A player who invokes the memory of players like Martin Dihigo and Babe Ruth, he has become a phenomenon unto himself. Thus far, Ohtani has been more than advertised, an ace on the mound and a star in the batter’s box.

Naturally, that performance will leave the next player coming over from Japan in an unenviable position. This performance has led to unrealistic expectations, and the next player in line will find himself compared to those who came before. That is what Yusei Kikuchi, one of the bright pitching stars in Japan, will face if he comes stateside.

According to Jon Heyman, it is almost a certainty that Kikuchi will follow Ohtani to the majors after this season. He is another pitcher that major league franchises would covet; a soon to be 27 year old with an electric four pitch repertoire, including a fastball that sits around 95 MPH.

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That assortment of pitches has led to a great deal of success in his professional career. Thus far, during his time in Japan and Australia, he has posted a 62-44 record, along with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.194 WHiP. In his 886.2 career innings, Kikuchi has struck out 786 batters, while issuing 339 walks.

While there may be concerns about his command, Kikuchi has demonstrated solid control before. In 2017, he walked only 49 batters in 187.2 innings, while notching 217 strikeouts. That control has continued thus far into the early portion of 2018, as he has just three walks, and 14 strikeouts, in his 15 innings of work. If this improvement remains, then Kikuchi may have taken the final step towards truly being the star pitcher that the majors would open the vaults for.

His pursuit will also be fascinating to watch. As he will be turning 27 years old this season, he will not be subject to the international signing limitations that Ohtani was under. He will be a true free agent, available to the highest bidder. With teams like the Dodgers and Yankees expected to open the vaults this offseason, Kikuchi could get quite the payout if he does get posted.

Next: Is Ohtani the next great superstar?

Yusei Kikuchi may well be the next great Japanese pitcher to come to the United States. Just do not expect him to be Shohei Ohtani.

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