The last 48 hours have been nothing short of eventful. The 31-year-old side-arm pitcher arrived in the United States and quickly joined his new Phillies teammates at BayCare Ballpark.
After settling into the clubhouse, he met a few Phillies players and executive Dave Dombrowski before heading out for a long-toss session.
“It was my first day, so I wasn’t really sure where to go, but I was very excited,” he said. “There are so many new things here.”
The Phillies signed signed in mid-January to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. The right-hander spent nine seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, compiling a 3.08 ERA, earning three All-Star selections, and winning a championship in 2023. However, he was also sent to the minors at times over the past two seasons.
For four years, Koyo Aoyagi had expressed his desire to pitch in the United States to his former team, Hanshin. But with his recent struggles, no MLB team was willing to offer him a guaranteed contract.
Now, Aoyagi will compete in spring training for the final spot in the Phillies’ bullpen. If he doesn’t make the team, he’s open to starting the season in the minors.
“The past few years in Japan, I wasn’t able to perform at my best, yet the Phillies still saw potential in me,” Aoyagi said. “That’s why I really want to play for this team.”
Historically, the Phillies have not been major players in recruiting top Japanese talent transitioning to MLB. They pursued Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason and reportedly made a significant offer, but he ultimately signed a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Dodgers. Another coveted pitcher, Roki Sasaki, also signed with the Dodgers despite the Phillies’ strong interest.
While Aoyagi’s presence won’t guarantee a breakthrough in the Japanese market, it could help the Phillies build connections in the region. However, his spot on the team will be earned based on performance, not marketing strategy.
“We liked him,” Dombrowski said. “He was looking for a big-league opportunity that didn’t materialize, so we felt strongly enough to bring him in and give him a chance. He’s open to going to Triple-A, and we believe he adds depth to our organization.”
Dombrowski also noted that having a Japanese player in camp aligns with the team’s broader efforts to expand its reach in the Far East.
“We’ve increased our scouting efforts in the region and want to show how welcoming our organization is,” he said. “But ultimately, we wouldn’t have signed him if we didn’t think he could contribute at some point this season.”
Aoyagi features a two-seam fastball and a slider, delivering from a true side-arm motion—something unique to the Phillies’ bullpen. He’ll be competing with fellow side-armer Jose Cuas, who has 132 MLB appearances over the last three seasons.
“You’re not going to have seven guys throwing 100 mph with elite sliders, so you need to mix it up,” manager Rob Thomson said.
Regardless of whether he starts in the majors or minors, Aoyagi is eager to test himself against top competition. He also takes pride in potentially being the first player signed directly from Japan to play for the Phillies. The team previously had Tadahito Iguchi and So Taguchi, but both had prior MLB experience before joining Philadelphia.
“I wasn’t fully aware of that, but pitching in the big leagues would definitely draw more attention to the Phillies in Japan,” Aoyagi said. “That could help recruit more Japanese players, which would be a big deal for me.”
“In the U.S., players come from so many different countries. I’m excited to see how my pitching stacks up against them.”