The Dodgers may already have a very clear target in Japan, and the target has been just as clear about where his eyes are pointed.
Eighteen-year-old pitcher Shoki Oda is widely viewed as the top prospect in Japan, and Los Angeles is the industry favorite to land him. Oda has not decided whether he will remain in Japan or join an MLB organization, but his lean is hard to miss. His favorite player is Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the only team he follows on Instagram is the Dodgers.
He only added to that picture with a recent comment.
“I want to play in the No. 1 (league) in the world,” Oda said, per The California Post. “I want to be No. 1 in the world.”
Oda’s résumé helps explain why so many are paying attention. He threw nearly 100 mph in high school and set a Koshien record for fastball velocity in Japan’s national high school tournament. Over his high school career, he piled up 395 strikeouts in 303.2 innings, production that helped make him a first-round selection in the NPB Draft.
That still does not guarantee he plays in NPB. If a club like the Dodgers makes a serious push, the path could change quickly.
For now, Los Angeles is leaving the door open without declaring anything publicly. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club is always tracking Japanese talent, and Oda is very much on the radar.
“Obviously we are a big fan of the NPB and have a lot of respect for the talent in that league,” Friedman said. “And it’s something we follow closely and watch.
Our understanding is there’s a chance there’s a couple of very talented players that are going to potentially come over to the major leagues. And we’re going to continue to meet on that and talk about it.
… We’re excited about having those conversations and watching these guys play out.”
The Dodgers have already shown they are willing to move aggressively internationally, bringing in Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki directly from NPB and placing them right into their major league plans.
Whether Oda ends up in Los Angeles this offseason could hinge on the looming lockout, which would stop MLB organizations from doing business. Even if that blocks an immediate move, his interest in the Dodgers is obvious enough, and the club’s reach in Japan suggests this is a storyline that could keep coming up well beyond this winter.
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