Cubs Pursuing Junichi Tazawa

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

According to Tracy Ringolsby...

 

Right-hander Junichi Tazawa, 22, who went undrafted in his native Japan after making it known he wanted to pitch in the United States, is being pursued by Boston, Atlanta, Seattle, the Chicago Cubs, Detroit, Florida and Philadelphia.

 

Link.

[RammyFanny]

Braves seem to be the frontunners by a good margin.

[JimSorgi]

Braves seem to be the frontunners by a good margin.

That'd be fine as long as they let us have Peavy. I don't know much about this guy, is he any good?

[Guest]

Braves seem to be the frontunners by a good margin.

 

I don't think anyone knows who is the front runner. We know the Braves have made an offer and the Mariners have met with him but not offered. In different stories I've read, each of those two teams plus the Red Sox have been mentioned as the leader. About a dozen teams have scouted him and are interested in him, including the Cubs.

 

That'd be fine as long as they let us have Peavy. I don't know much about this guy, is he any good?

 

There's been some talk of Tazawa over the last two pages in the amateur international signings thread over in the Minor Leagues forum. Here is a YouTube clip of him pitching that I posted in that thread. He's 22, likely to get "first round money" and a big league contract but will also likely start in the minors. Per scouting reports, he throws a FB that tops out at 97, a forkball and a slider. Most reports think he might be better off as a reliever in the U.S.

 

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