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Shintaro Fujinami reportedly asks Hanshin Tigers to be posted

By David Hill |
TOKYO, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 16: Shintaro Fujinami #17 of Samurai Japan pitches in the first inning during the game four of Samurai Japan and MLB All Stars at Tokyo Dome on November 16, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - NOVEMBER 16: Shintaro Fujinami #17 of Samurai Japan pitches in the first inning during the game four of Samurai Japan and MLB All Stars at Tokyo Dome on November 16, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Shintaro Fujinami has gone through a great deal in his career in Nippon Professional Baseball. He had once been in the same conversation as Shohei Ohtani as a young pitcher. He then began to struggle, with his command completely deserting him as he was literally fighting for his career. It was fair to wonder if he would ever live up to his potential.

Those issues are behind him now. Fujinami has started to look like the pitcher he was expected to be, even if that has happened much later than expected. Now, the 28 year old Hanshin Tigers’ pitcher has reportedly asked to be posted this offseason.

Shintaro Fujinami may finally head stateside

This move has been a long time coming. Fujinami was viewed as a possible major league prospect before his command went away, his upper 90s fastball working well with his slider and splitter. That type of arsenal had all the hallmarks of his one day finding a way to the majors.

Instead, his command issues led to a banishment to the minors as he just could not command his stuff. That reflects in his career numbers, as his 3.41 ERA and 1.353 WHiP over 994.1 innings, with 1011 strikeouts and 459 walks, hardly portend that he would be a future ace.

But there is no question that Fujinami will work as hard as possible to be a valuable option for whichever major league team acquires his services. He already had to battle to get his career back on track, let alone get to the point where he would be a viable option in the posting system.

If he is posted, Fujinami could be an interesting option. While he has worked his way back into a starting capacity, he has also spent a great deal of time as a reliever as well. Major league teams could look at him in that light, a power arm out of the bullpen whose velocity and excellent secondary pitches could make him a weapon. Otherwise, he could be a solid starter, but could be a tightrope act in that role.

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Shintaro Fujinami had once been one of Japan’s top pitching prospects. Now, nearly a decade later, he could be coming stateside.

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