After the Mets made the biggest splash in free agency by signing Dominican Republic superstar Juan Soto, they’re adding more depth pieces to head into Spring Training. The New York Mets have come to an agreement with starting pitcher Yuhi Sako to a minor league contract.
The 25-year-old right-hander was born in Kagoshima, Japan, and debuted at 22 with the Canberra Calvary of the Australian Baseball League. Throwing just six games in his first season, he recorded a 1.80 ERA, striking out 15 batters and allowing three walks in just ten innings. He would play one more season with the Calvary, making six starts in 11 appearances during the 2023-24 winter. He pitched to a 2-2 record, posting a 2.21 ERA, striking out 39 in 36.2 innings of work.
As for 2024, Sako pitched mainly in the Frontier League with the New Jersey Jackals. Making 15 starts in 16 games as a Jackal, Sako went 6-3 with a 3.40 ERA, throwing one complete-game shutout, throwing in 92.2 innings, striking out 78 batters. He also made two starts in the Atlantic League with the High Point Rockers, posting a 1.74 ERA with an impressive 14 strikeouts in just 10.1 innings.
This winter, Sako is pitching in Mexico with the Yaquis de Obregon. Currently, he’s made one appearance as a relief pitcher, throwing in two innings, allowing three hits and one earned run without collecting a strikeout.
The New York Mets will continue on with their offseason, but it will be interesting to see if Sako will be used this Spring Training in any capacity. It is likely that Sako could begin the 2025 campaign with Double-A or Triple-A to start his journey through Minor League Baseball.
