Rintaro Sasaki, Japan’s top high school prospect, has made a surprising decision. Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing 250 pounds, he’s set an impressive record with 140 home runs during his high school career. Despite the upcoming NPB Draft, he’s chosen to bypass it and head straight to the United States.
The buzz is that he’s likely to join Vanderbilt University. This talented 1st baseman recently made the decision to study abroad at a U.S. university. He had to submit his notification for a professional baseball career by the 12th, and the draft event was set for the 26th. However, after playing his last official high school game against Riseisha in Osaka, he revealed his intention to head to the United States for college. The exact university where he’ll continue his studies and baseball career is still undecided.
No. Way.
Rintaro Sasaki is the #1 high school prospect in Japan.
6’0, 250 lbs. He holds the record for most HR in Japanese HS history: 140.
He has officially decided to skip his application for the NPB Draft…and will come to the US to play in college.pic.twitter.com/IT9GHFEyCa
— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) October 10, 2023
Following his loss to Sendai Ikuei in the Koshien quarterfinals in August, Sasaki had mentioned he wanted time to think about his future after returning to Iwate. During this period, he traveled to the U.S. for about 10 days in September, visiting various universities and prominent baseball teams, including the prestigious Vanderbilt University. After this visit, he narrowed down his options to either pursuing a professional baseball career or studying at a U.S. university.
In his recent game, he played as a third baseman and first baseman, but didn’t secure any hits, managing just one walk in three at-bats. It’s an intriguing twist in the young player’s career, as he prepares to make his mark on the international baseball stage.
