Pitcher Roki Sasaki agreed to terms on his contract for the 2024 season, the Lotte Marines announced Friday, just six days before the team is set to hold its first spring training workout.
The 22-year-old, the youngest pitcher to throw a perfect game in Japan, had been the subject of several media reports claiming he has demanded Lotte allow him to sign with an MLB team before the Marines could earn a substantial posting fee.
Sasaki turned pro with the Marines as their first draft pick in 2019 after Lotte won his negotiating rights in a four-way lottery.
He did not pitch in a single game in 2020, but by 2022 had blossomed into a world-class talent and pitched for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
