NEW YORK — Japanese pitcher Koyo Aoyagi was posted to Major League Baseball teams and will be available to sign as a free agent through 5 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 17.
Aoyagi, a 5-foot-11 right-hander who turns 31 on Wednesday, was 2-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 12 games this year for the Pacific League’s Hanshin Tigers during a season in which he was demoted and pitched 11 games in the minors.
At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he allowed five runs and eight hits over 1⅔ innings during two games for Japan.
An MLB team would pay the Tigers a fee of 20% of guaranteed money in a major league contract through $25 million, plus 17.5% above that through $50 million, plus 15% over that. A supplemental fee would equal 15% of any earned bonuses, escalators and compensation from option years that are exercised or become guaranteed.
If he agrees to a minor league contract, Hanshin would receive a posting fee from the acquiring MLB team equal to 25% of the signing bonus.