Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Sign Hard Throwing RHP Kosuke Matsuda Out of Japan

The Dodgers are still busy making moves despite being stuck in a lockout. Over the weekend, they signed a whole lot of international prospects despite having one fo the smallest signing bonus pools in baseball. 

On Monday morning, it was announced that the Dodgers had also dipped into the Japanese market. They added RHP Kosuke Matsuda to a minor league deal, according to the LA Times’ Jack Harris



Matsuda is 23 years old and his fastball has reportedly gotten up around the 96 mph market. But in a very Dodgers fashion, Matsuda underwent Tommy John surgery last July. That would mean that he is most likely not going to pitch in a minor league game any time soon, if at all this season. 

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Matsuda is another name for the Dodgers to add to their international signings. They’ve shown a willingness to take a chance on a lot bigger names in the past, notably out of Latin American countries. But they’ve also had a long-established relationship with signing names out of Japan and Korea over the years. 

Matsuda spent that last season playing Independent Baseball in Japan. Teams in MLB are only able to sign players to minor league deals while the league remains in a lockout. Once that lockout is up, the Major League deals will be back on. 

Let’s hope that is much sooner rather than later. 

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