The Philadelphia Phillies have developed a strong track record in recent years of landing top free agents.
In 2019, they signed superstar Bryce Harper to a massive $330 million contract and added standout pitcher Zack Wheeler on a $118 million deal. A few years later, in 2022, they committed another $330 million to elite shortstop Trea Turner.
Now, with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber pursuing a substantial long-term contract to stay in Philadelphia, fans are hoping the team will continue its big-spending approach. Yet despite their history of offering hefty deals, the Phillies have had difficulty bringing in talent from one particular global market.
“A Japanese-born player has not competed for the Phillies since 2008, and just two — Tadahito Iguchi and So Taguchi — have played for the club,” Charlotte Varnes reported for The Athletic. “Still, there are several obstacles the Phillies face: a lack of legacy in Japan, no direct flight from Philadelphia to Tokyo, a smaller Japanese population in Philadelphia than other major U.S. cities, international communities knowing less about the city compared with Los Angeles or New York.”
And as star players from Japan like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga prove that talent from the country is only getting better, the Phillies’ lack of a Japanese pipeline can be seen as a significant weakness.
But a new report from Phillies Tailgate indicates that the franchise is working to turn that around by building up its legacy with Japanese players in a franchise first.
“The Phillies are signing Japanese RHP Alexandre Moreti to a minor league contract,” the outlet reported on X, formerly Twitter. “Moreti is the first amateur player to sign directly from Japan in Phillies history. Moreti is a recent graduate of Homare High School in Komaki, Japan.”
While most star Japanese players join Major League Baseball after turning professional through Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league, the addition of an amateur player from the country could help the Phillies gain the kind of reputation that secures additional talent from the country moving forward.
“Reports from Japan indicate he can pitch at speeds of 91 mph,” Santiago Tovar wrote for South American sports outlet BOLAVIP. “With this acquisition, the Phillies may have secured an exceptional Japanese talent who was not previously on the offseason radar. They aim to leverage this addition to make a significant impact in the league and become serious contenders for the World Series title in the next season.”
At just 18 years old, Moreti will need some more development before getting the chance to factor into the Phillies’ plans. But by becoming a franchise first, he might be paving the way for additional moves to come.
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