New Yankees Rumors After 'Upbeat' Meeting with Japanese Phenom Shoki Oda amid MLB FA

New York Yankees officials met personally with Japanese pitcher Shoki Oda on Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Brendan Kuty.

Kuty reported the Yankees were "upbeat about their presentation." International scouting director Mario Garza and director of pitching Sam Briend were part of the group that attended the gathering.

Oda opted against signing with an NPB franchise and decided to make the move to the United States straight out of high school. Any team that signs the 18-year-old wouldn't expect him to be in the starting rotation on Opening Day. Instead, he'd need to work his way up through the minors.

College baseball is a possibility as well. Rintaro Sasaki enrolled at Stanford and played for two years before signing with the Miami Marlins this past summer.

MLB.com's Michael Clair and Ayako Oikawa noted Oda has a fastball that can hit the mid-to-upper 90s, and he turned heads during Japan's Summer Koshien amateur tournament.

As you'd expect, the Yankees aren't the only MLB team pursuing the young right-hander.

MLB insider Francys Romero reported the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros are in the mix. Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes was coy when asked whether they had met with Oda.

International prospects are eligible to sign beginning on Jan. 15, but the looming labor battle could impact that timeline this winter.