MLB: Seiya Suzuki Is Worth The Hefty Investment
The MLB Hot Stove is beginning to heat up. Teams are eager to make the necessary improvements to their rosters. This FA market is full of shortstops. There won’t be any shortage of players at the position looking for a new home. Although, even with the likes of Carlos Correa, Javy Baez, and Marcus Semien on the table, the prized FA of the Winter isn’t anyone who’s played in the majors before.
Teams go bananas for the Japanese and Korean imports. We’ve seen some huge successes, ( Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish) and have had some major whiffs (Ha-Seung Kim, Masahiro Tanaka). The newest name to be posted is NBP All-Star, Seiya Suzuki. The prized offensive weapon has become the apple of many GM’s eye. Suzuki is power-hitting OF, who teams hope can change the fortunes of their franchise.
I refuse to get too excited about Suzuki. We’ve seen far too many of the overseas players from Japan and Korea make the jump to MLB, only to not live up to expectations. Here are some names you might (or might not) remember, Shogo Akiyama, Ha-Seong Kim, Ji-Man Choi, Hoy-Jun Park. These players, while highly thought of during their posting or singing period, have thus far fell way short of what was expected of them in the MLB.
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While there are some names who’ve been considered busts, there is a growing number of successes as well. There is some merit in being optimistic about Suzuki. He’s obviously not going to hit Ohtani’s level in terms of being a dual-threat MVP as a pitcher and hitter, however, I’m willing to bet he can still develop into an MLB star or an MLB offensive MVP candidate. At only 27, Suzuki has some prime playing years ahead of him.
Suzuki is a five-time All-Star in the Nippon Baseball League. He had a stellar 2021 season, hitting 38 HRs with a 1.079 OPS. Suzuki has been touted as a Ronald Acuna type of player. The market for his services is obviously going to be huge considering that comp. Who’s going to take the chance on him?
There isn’t a team in baseball who isn’t going to inquire about Suzuki. The frontrunners are likely the contending teams with money (Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers), however, Texas and Seattle always find a way to enter the posting sweepstakes for international players. Let’s also not rule out San Francisco, who are in need of a power bat.
While the future of Suzuki isn’t set in stone, the case can be made he’s one of the most impressive talents to be posted in recent years. Baseball has become infatuated with Ohtani. As a result, a lot more fans are going to demand their teams go after these international players from Japan and Korea. In Suzuki’s case, it is probably warranted. If hitting on all cylinders, his ceiling is that of an MVP candidate. At his floor, he’s Shin-Soo Choo, and that’s not a bad comp at all. I’d reckon Suzuki can be just as big of a home run hitter as Ohtani.
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It’s fine to be bullish on Suzuki. He’s going to command some serious capital to obtain. Will the high posting be worth the investment? Suzuki is considered the best prospect to come out of the NBL since Ohtani. He’s a potential 5-tool player, with room to get even better. There’s always a risk with the overseas talent. You’re not going to get far as a franchise (or a league) if you aren’t willing to invest in talent that could break barriers and become the next superstar (Ohtani). Some team will pay up for Suzuki. That’s going to be good for the game of baseball and the growth of the sport.
Am I right to have reservations? I’d say given the uncertainty of the Japan/Korean players making the jump we all have a right to be wary. In all transparency, Suzuki is a fascinating prospect. If you’re going to make a splash, might as well do it with someone with this potential.
Image Source: Yahoo Sports
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
