Junichi Tazawa: 180 Pounds Of Fastball

Junichi Tazawa is a 5'11", 180 lb, right hander whose fastball comes with around 97 miles per hour of mustard on it, and he wants to play in the United States. 

The 22 year old Tazawa was passed over in Japan's amateur draft on Thursday, leaving Tazawa to say, "I'm very relieved. I was very nervous right up until the end of the draft."

Drafted by Orix last year, Tazawa declined their offer to play in Japan's Industrial League, as there are no specific rules restricting Industrial League players from signing with MLB teams. 

Tazawa recorded four wins out of five while he lead the Nippon Oil to their first title in 13 years and was named MVP of the "Sports Japan Tournament" after he struck out 18 batters in the quarterfinals.

Tazawa has a two seam fastball that tails in on right handed batters, a nasty four seamer, and a wicked forkball, which is a pitch similar to a split-finger fastball but has more of a tumbling movement similar to a knuckleball.  He also has a biting slider that rings up with a little over 80 miles per hour of juice.  The movement on his curveball is very deceptive and sharp as well.

There is a laundry list of MLB teams interested in Tazawa including: the Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, Pirates, Cubs, Mariners, Mets and Braves.  The Red Sox seem to be the team who have gotten the majority of Tazawa's attention, and General Manager Theo Epstein has already given scout John Deeble the green light on him. 

Being that Japan's Industrial League consists of amateur players who are all employees of the company that the team is owned by, wherever Tazawa ends up he will most likely start out in their minor league system.

Players from Japan's professional leagues are not allowed free agency until they have played nine seasons.  Kazuhito Tadano and Mac Suzuki are the only MLB players who have not played professionally in Japan.