Japanese HS phenom Rintaro Sasaki skips NPB, will play NCAA baseball

Rintaro Sasaki, the Japanese high school career home run record holder, did not submit his application for the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) draft and has stated his intention to go to an American college to play baseball.

Sasaki is the consensus top prospect among graduating Japanese high school players and was the presumed favorite to be picked first in the upcoming NPB draft, until he made this decision.

The 6-foot, 250-pound first baseman attends Hanamaki-Higashi High School, playing for his father, Hiroshi. Shohei Ohtani also played at that high school.

There is no precedent for a top Japanese high school prospect coming to an American college and entering the Major League Baseball…