Phillies invite three-time Japanese All-Star Koyo Aoyagi to Spring Training

The Phillies have invited three-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Koyo Aoyagi to MLB Spring Training after signing him to a minor-league deal, they announced Friday night.

Aoyagi, 31, is 61-47 with a 3.08 ERA across nine seasons with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan. The Tigers posted him in December, making him available for all MLB teams to sign. That he is coming to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee suggests there wasn't a land rush of MLB teams interested in guaranteeing him a roster spot. 

His resume also includes six complete games and three complete-game shutouts. Aoyagi got the ball for the Tigers in Game 7 of the 2023 Japan Series, tossing 4 2/3 shutout innings in an eventual title-clinching victory over the Orix Buffaloes. 

Koyo Aoyagi’s stats with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB):

154 G | 898.1 IP | 810 H | 307 ER | 299 BB | 647 K | 3.08 ERA | 1.235 WHIPpic.twitter.com/a7ZWlojFLG

— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) January 18, 2025

It will be interesting to see what role the Phillies consider the sidearmer for. 

While you can never have enough starting pitching depth, the Opening Day rotation seems set barring an injury to one of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo. Taijuan Walker and Tyler Phillips remain in the organization for now, with Andrew Painter set to make his MLB Debut at some point this upcoming summer. 

Aoyagi could become someone who competes for the final spot in the bullpen. Assuming the Phillies don't make any other additions, Walker, Phillips, Max Lazar and non-roster invitee Nabil Crismatt are among the candidates for that spot currently. With Joe Ross already in the bullpen as a possible swing guy, it would seem to make more sense to carry someone you view as a reliever with that final spot, as opposed to Walker or Phillips. 

If Aoyagi were to pitch for the Phillies at any point, he would become the first Japanese-born player to debut with the club. The only two Japanese-born players in Phillies history are Tadahito Iguchi and So Taguchi. At the outset of the offseason, the Phillies had hoped to be players for Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki, but he didn't ultimately agree to meet with them, and announced Friday on Instagram that he's signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

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