Three Japanese baseball players infielder Teruaki Sato and pitchers Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh have entered Major League Baseball's (MLB) posting system, allowing them to negotiate with MLB clubs from Monday through December 16.
South Korean infielder Si-Hwan Roh of the Hanwha Eagles has also entered the system and will be eligible to sign with an MLB team until December 1.
Sato, a 27-year-old left-handed batter who plays third base and occasionally the outfield for the Hanshin Tigers, enjoyed an outstanding season. He hit .306 with 39 home runs and 106 RBIs, securing the Central League's Triple Crown. He was also named the league's Most Valuable Player in 2025 after recording 40 home runs and 102 RBIs with a .277 batting average.
Taira, who will turn 27 on November 15, returned to the starting rotation this season and posted a 12-5 record with a league-leading 1.36 ERA. He previously recorded 31 saves in 2025 while playing for the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Itoh, 29, helped Japan secure Olympic gold in 2021, delivering five scoreless innings across three games. He also represented Japan in this year's World Baseball Classic. Playing for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, he finished the season with a 10-10 record, a 3.18 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings. He received Japan's prestigious Sawamura Award in 2025, which is equivalent to MLB's Cy Young Award.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old Roh, a right-handed hitter, recorded a .283 batting average with 25 home runs and 96 RBIs for the Hanwha Eagles this season.
Players from Japanese clubs have a 45-day posting window, while those from South Korean teams have 30 days to negotiate with MLB clubs. The deadline for signing contracts is 5pm EST on the final day of each period.
MLB is expected to lock out the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) when the current collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1. During the previous lockout, which began on December 2, 2021, negotiations involving posted players were suspended. Their signing windows resumed after MLB and the players' union reached an agreement on March 10.
Under MLB's posting agreements with Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization, Japanese and South Korean clubs will receive a posting fee based on the value of a player's major league contract.
The fee is set at 20 percent of the first $25 million, including earned bonuses and options, 17.5 percent of the next $25 million and 15 percent of any amount exceeding $50 million. An additional 15 percent will be charged on earned bonuses, salary escalators and exercised contract options.