Shun Yamaguchi

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #13 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Yamaguchi is the son of sumo wrestler Taniarashi. Yamaguchi has played in Nippon Professional Baseball for 14 seasons, long enough that he has earned international free agent rights, meaning a team signing him does not need to pay a posting fee. He began his career as a closer before moving to the rotation in 2014. Yamaguchi was suspended in 2017 for an incident when he was accused of shoving a security guard and doing damage at a hospital.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Yamaguchi does not blow hitters away. His below-average fastball sits at 87-93 mph. It actually gained a tick in 2019 to average 90 mph after sitting at 89 for several previous years. But Yamaguchi uses a forkball, slider, curveball and changeup as well. His forkball has become a bigger and bigger part of his approach in recent years, and is a pitch that induces chases out of the zone. Yamaguchi's delivery adds deception as well. He can be difficult for opposing batters to time because he hangs over his balance point on the rubber. He has average command and control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Yamaguchi provides value to a major league team because of his durability and his ability to slide between starting and relieving roles. He carries some risk because of his lack of velocity, but North American hitters aren't used to seeing many forkballs, which may help Yamaguchi.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Yamaguchi is the son of sumo wrestler Taniarashi. Yamaguchi has played in Nippon Professional Baseball for 14 seasons, long enough that he has earned international free agent rights, meaning a team signing him does not need to pay a posting fee. He began his career as a closer before moving to the rotation in 2014. Yamaguchi was suspended in 2017 for an incident when he was accused of shoving a security guard and doing damage at a hospital.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Yamaguchi does not blow hitters away. His below-average fastball sits at 87-93 mph. It actually gained a tick in 2019 to average 90 mph after sitting at 89 for several previous years. But Yamaguchi uses a forkball, slider, curveball and changeup as well. His forkball has become a bigger and bigger part of his approach in recent years, and is a pitch that induces chases out of the zone. Yamaguchi’s delivery adds deception as well. He can be difficult for opposing batters to time because he hangs over his balance point on the rubber. He has average command and control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Yamaguchi provides value to a major league team because of his durability and his ability to slide between starting and relieving roles. He carries some risk because of his lack of velocity, but North American hitters aren’t used to seeing many forkballs, which may help Yamaguchi. BA GRADE 50 Risk: Medium BA GRADE 45 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Yamaguchi is the son of sumo wrestler Taniarashi. Yamaguchi has played in Nippon Professional Baseball for 14 seasons, long enough that he has earned international free agent rights, meaning a team signing him does not need to pay a posting fee. He began his career as a closer before moving to the rotation in 2014. Yamaguchi was suspended in 2017 for an incident when he was accused of shoving a security guard and doing damage at a hospital.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Yamaguchi does not blow hitters away. His below-average fastball sits at 87-93 mph. It actually gained a tick in 2019 to average 90 mph after sitting at 89 for several previous years. But Yamaguchi uses a forkball, slider, curveball and changeup as well. His forkball has become a bigger and bigger part of his approach in recent years, and is a pitch that induces chases out of the zone. Yamaguchi's delivery adds deception as well. He can be difficult for opposing batters to time because he hangs over his balance point on the rubber. He has average command and control.
  
  THE FUTURE: Yamaguchi provides value to a major league team because of his durability and his ability to slide between starting and relieving roles. He carries some risk because of his lack of velocity, but North American hitters aren't used to seeing many forkballs, which may help Yamaguchi.