Louis Okoye has been waived and released by the Yomiuri Giants, the club announced on Friday, ending his three-year stint in Tokyo after arriving from the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles via the 2022 Active Player Draft.
Also known as Rui, the Japanese-Nigerian outfielder was once a highly touted prospect and Rakuten’s prized first-round pick in the 2015 NPB Draft. He represented Samurai Japan at the 2015 U-18 World Cup, and his sister, Monica, is an Olympic medalist with Japan’s women’s national basketball team.
But he never truly found his footing in the professional ranks, hindered by both subpar on-field performance and concerns about his off-field behavior. Overall, he’s batted .230/.274/.341 with 14 home runs for a meager 75 wRC+ across 1,069 plate appearances in NPB, though his numbers on the farm have consistently been very strong. Defensively, he grades out as an above-average option at all three outfield positions.
Upon being granted his release, Okoye announced, “I spoke with the team after the season ended, and they ultimately agreed to let me try my hand at playing for other teams, including overseas. I’m extremely grateful to the fans, manager, coaches, teammates, and staff who have supported me over the past three seasons. I’d like to take on new challenges and show them how much I’ve grown.”
As indicated in his statement, the 28-year-old will now explore opportunities abroad, potentially in the U.S. minors or independent circuits, or in other prominent international leagues such as the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, Korean Baseball Organization, or the Chinese Professional Baseball League.
Photo: The Tokyo Dome is the home of the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. (Photo by Leif Skodnick/World Baseball Network)
