An 18-year-old Japanese baseball prodigy who can throw a fastball 97 mph is drawing interest from more than 10 Major League Baseball teams.
Shoki Oda, a right-handed pitcher from Yokohama High School, has decided to head to the USA instead of playing in Japan. He can throw a variety of pitches, including a slider, curveball, splitter, changeup and cutter.
And it seems clear that he is extremely talented, as he is already reportedly receiving interest from some of the biggest teams in MLB. According to Kyodo News, Oda’s high school coach, Hiroaki Murata, said representatives from 11 or 12 Major League Baseball teams have said they plan to interview the teenage pitcher.
Japanese Pitching Phenom Shoki Oda Is Already Breaking Records
Shoki Oda drew scouts’ attention after throwing a 97 mph fastball at Japan’s national high school baseball championship at Koshien Stadium in August. It was the fastest pitch ever thrown at the tournament.
His talents also caught the eye of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most famous professional baseball teams. The Giants chose him in the first round of the Nippon Professional Baseball draft on October 22. However, Oda had already said he wasn’t interested in playing professional baseball in Japan.
“He’s thinking only about the U.S. right now. I can’t interfere with his future; I just want him to make a good choice,” Hiroaki Murata said.
Dodgers And Yankees Among MLB Teams Interested In Shoki Oda
According to MLB.com, Shoki Oda can sign a deal with a Major League organization or play college baseball in the United States.
Of course, the Los Angeles Dodgers are interested. They already have three Japanese pitching sensations: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. They will surely be looking to sign another.
Interestingly, Oda’s favorite player is reportedly Yamamoto, and he only follows the one Major League Baseball team on Instagram: the Dodgers.
Shoki Oda isn’t the only young Japanese player to attract attention recently. 17-year-old Haruki Komoda drew attention earlier this year for his impressive physical tools. Komoda has a build similar to the Dodgers star at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. The New York Mets have reportedly sent scouts to Japan to watch Komoda play.
Another Japanese player who recently left Japan was Rintaro Sasaki. He decided to play college baseball at Stanford. He has batted .265 with a .391 on-base percentage during his two years with the Cardinal. In 2026, he slugged .549 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI.