Teruaki Sato looks primed to be the next Japanese star to head over to MLB.
The New York Mets are scouting Sato, who's expected to leave the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball for an opportunity in North America, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The 2025 NPB MVP plays third base in Japan but could switch to first since the Mets already have Bo Bichette at the hot corner, Heyman notes. Bichette can opt out of his contract this offseason, but he's underperformed in his first season in Queens and is still owed $84 million over two years.
The New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies have also been connected to Sato, reports Heyman.
The Yankees have lured big stars from Japan in the past, including Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka, while the Dodgers employ current superstars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The Phillies have never had a prominent player from Japan.
Sato has hit 27 homers with 76 RBIs and a 1.026 OPS across 103 games for the Tigers this season. The 27-year-old went deep 40 times with 102 RBIs and a .924 OPS in 139 contests last year.
