Tatsuya Imai set to become next Japanese pitcher to move to MLB

Tatsuya Imai wears Seibu Lions' jersey during a news conference in Tokorozawa, Saitama prefecture, Japan, on Dec. 9, 2016. (Kyodo News via AP)

TOKYO — Tatsuya Imai is likely to be the next Japanese pitcher to move to a Major League team after his club, Seibu Lions, said Monday it would begin the process of making him available — a process called “posting.”

Tatsuya had a record of 10-5 this season with an ERA of 1.92. The right-hander has a powerful fastball and has played his entire career in Japan.

Under the agreement with Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, the posting period for a player runs from Nov. 1 until Dec. 15. Players have 45 days following the posting to reach an agreement with an MLB team.

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The Associated Press