Caught Between Two Drafts: Rintaro Sasaki and the Intersection of the NPB and MLB Player Entry Systems

By Takao Ohashi, Attorney at PAX Law Office (Tokyo), Professor, Kanazawa Institute of Technology Toranomon Graduate School Introduction On July 12, 2026, the Miami Marlins selected Stanford infielder Rintaro Sasaki in the eighth round (235th overall) of the MLB Draft. For American readers, an eighth-round pick from Stanford is unremarkable. What makes Sasaki’s situation extraordinary […]