IBC

Chugoku Shimbun and Sports Nippon report that Hiroki Kuroda will return to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp next season.

Kuroda could have had another one-year contract with the Yankees if he wanted it, but it appears he'll return to his native country instead. The veteran right-hander will turn 40 in February but is coming off another fine season, having put up a 3.71 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP and 146/35 K/BB ratio over 199 innings.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4809/hiroki-kuroda

Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports that Yamaico Navarro has re-signed with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.

He'll make a base salary of $950,000 in 2015, with the chance to earn another $400,000 with incentives. Navarro, who appeared in the majors with the Red Sox, Pirates, Orioles, and Royals from 2010-2013, batted .308/.417/.552 with 31 home runs and 98 RBI during his first season in KBO.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/587 ... co-navarro

According to the Japan Times, former Cubs prospect Dae-Eun Rhee has signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines.

The 25-year-old Korean right-hander posted a decent 3.42 ERA and 1.297 WHIP in 152 2/3 innings (24 starts, three relief appearances) last season between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. But he wasn't going to crack the Cubs' rotation at any point in the near future and Chiba Lotte can guarantee him much more money than he stood to make in the minor leagues. Rhee may try to break into Major League Baseball again somewhere down the line.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/5493/dae-eun-rhee

Logan Ondrusek has signed a one-year contract with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Ondrusek will make $1.2 million in 2015 and Tokyo has a club option on him for 2016. The big right-hander's ERA was up the last two seasons with the Reds, but he struck out a batter per inning and holds a career 3.89 ERA. It's a tad surprising he didn't seem to receive more interest in the states, but he gets a nice little payday to head overseas.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/6113/logan-ondrusek

Did you report Logan Ondrusek? I think he's headed to Korea.

Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports that Tyler Cloyd is likely to sign with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Cloyd was released by the Indians on Tuesday, presumably to pitch overseas. The 27-year-old owns a 5.98 ERA over 17 starts and two relief appearances in the majors and spent the entire 2014 season in the minors.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/7123/tyler-cloyd

Gaby Sanchez has signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Japan's Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Sanchez was non-tendered by the Pirates in early December and clearly didn't find much love in MLB free agency. The 31-year-old first baseman batted just .229/.293/.385 in 290 plate appearances last season for the Pirates. He was named a National League All-Star in 2011 with the Marlins, but his numbers fell off a cliff in 2012 and never recovered.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4497/gaby-sanchez

WhiteSox wrote:Gaby Sanchez has signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Japan's Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Sanchez was non-tendered by the Pirates in early December and clearly didn't find much love in MLB free agency. The 31-year-old first baseman batted just .229/.293/.385 in 290 plate appearances last season for the Pirates. He was named a National League All-Star in 2011 with the Marlins, but his numbers fell off a cliff in 2012 and never recovered.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4497/gaby-sanchez

Was hoping he would start for me...

He's the 1 that clothes-lined Nyjer Morgan that one time, right? That was cool.

The Yonhap News reports that Josh Stinson has signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with Korea's Kia Tigers.

Stinson inked a minor league deal with the Pirates in October, but they agreed to release him so he could get more money overseas. The 26-year-old posted a 6.23 ERA in 13 innings of relief last season for the Orioles.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/6544/josh-stinson

Zach Lutz has agreed to a contract with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Lutz finished the 2014 season with Japan's Rakuten Golden Eagles and will remain in Asia for the 2015 campaign. The corner infielder appeared in 22 games for the Mets between 2012-2013, batting .226 with a .642 OPS, zero homers, and 11 strikeouts in 37 plate appearances.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/6359/zach-lutz

Angels released RHP Yoslan Herrera.

Herrera re-signed with the Halos last month on a minor league deal, but they've given him his release in order to allow him to sign with Japan's Yokohama DeNA BayStars. The 33-year-old had a 2.70 ERA in 20 games with the Angels in 2014.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/4840/yoslan-herrera

Josh Lueke has signed with Delfines del Carmen of the Mexican League.

Lueke, 30, made 25 appearances with the Rays last season and owns an ugly 6.16 ERA over 87 2/3 innings in the majors. Even putting aside his past legal issues, he might not get another shot with an MLB team.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/6392/josh-lueke

Juan Francisco has signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League.

The deal is reportedly worth $1.2 million. Francisco opted out of his deal with the Rays after failing to make the team out of spring training. The 27-year-old hit 16 homers in 106 games with the Blue Jays last season.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/5028/juan-francisco

Nate Schierholtz has agreed to a one-year contract with the Hiroshima Carp in Japan.

The one-year deal is worth $1.16 million, according to the Japan Times. Schierholtz was released by the Rangers at the end of spring training and probably would have had to settle for a non-guaranteed minor league contract if he remained in the United States.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/24/nate-schierholtz