IBC

And so it begins ...

Luke Voit has re-signed with the Rakuten Eagles of Japan for 2026.

Voit, the 2020 MLB home run leader while with the Yankees, spent 2024 and the beginning of 2025 in Mexico before heading to Japan in June and hitting .300/.384/.498 with 13 homers in 67 games for Rakuten. That’s a particularly impressive line in a JPL that hit .246/.307/.352 overall. He’s turning 35 in February, so he might well finish his career in Asia.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/luke-voit/50268

Former Dodgers’ right-hander Matt Sauer has signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the KT Wiz in the Korea Baseball Organization.

The 26-year-old hurler will get a World Series ring after registering a 6.37 ERA and 1.45 WHIP across 29 2/3 innings in 10 appearances for the Dodgers during the 2025 season. He’ll earn a $750,000 salary and a $200,000 signing bonus with the Wiz. It’s possible that he’ll look to return to Major League Baseball if he finds success in his first year overseas.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/matt-saue ... fd65c20104

Pirates infielder Cam Devanney is signing with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Nothing official yet. Devanney appears poised to take his talents overseas to Japan after appearing in 14 games last season for the Pirates in his first taste of the majors, batting .139 (5-for-36) with one RBI during that brief cup of coffee. The 28-year-old infielder came over from the Royals in the Adam Frazier trade back in mid-July and posted some encouraging numbers at the Triple-A level, batting .266/.353/.493 with 20 home runs and five steals in 103 games. His departure will free up a spot on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster ahead of Tuesday’s Rule 5 deadline.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/cam-devanney/68224

November 14: [Bob] Seymour is in agreement with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, reports Francys Romero.

November 12: The Rays announced that first baseman Bob Seymour has been released to pursue an opportunity in Asia. No details were provided about which team or country he is heading to. He was already off the 40-man roster, as he was designated for assignment last week.

Seymour, 27, has spent his entire professional career with the Rays thus far. A 13th-round pick from the 2021 draft, he crushed homers throughout his minor league career but also struck out quite a bit. In 2024, he launched 28 long balls in 123 games, split between Double-A and Triple-A. He slashed .281/.351/.523 for a 139 wRC+ but was also punched out in 30.6% of his plate appearances. In 2025, he hit 30 homers in just 105 Triple-A games. He had a .263/.327/.553 line and 122 wRC+ while striking out at a 25.7% pace.

He got called up in mid-August and spent about the final six weeks of the season in the big leagues. He stepped to the plate 83 times but struck out in 32 of those, a 38.6% pace, leading to a rough .205/.253/.282 line.

Despite the obvious power, Seymour has never really ranked as a notable prospect. He only plays first base and doesn’t have wheels, which means he has to hit to provide value. Given how often he strikes out, it was going to be hard for him to be a viable big league bat.

He still has a full slate of options. Even if he were claimed off waivers after being designated for assignment this week, he was likely destined for another year of riding the bus in Triple-A. Instead, he’ll head overseas somewhere, presumably for a bigger paycheck and a better opportunity. If he finds success wherever he is going, perhaps he will return to North America someday.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/ ... -asia.html

Forrest Whitley is signing with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Whitley will take his talents to Japan in a bit of a surprising decision since he appeared poised to enter next spring with a chance to make Tampa Bay’s season-opening rotation. The 28-year-old former top pitching prospect, who was released to pursue the overseas opportunity, appeared to figure things out late last season at Triple-A Durham when he posted a sharp 2.60 ERA and 66/19 K/BB ratio across 55 1/3 innings over 13 appearances (12 starts). He’ll probably make his way back stateside at some point in the future.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/forrest-whitley/48189

Former Marlins reliever Freddy Tarnok is signing with the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Tarnok takes his talents overseas after being jettisoned from Miami’s roster earlier this month. The 26-year-old reliever will attempt to rebuild his long-term value in Japan after posting a serviceable 3.97 ERA across 22 2/3 innings over 11 appearances in the big leagues since 2022.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/freddy-tarnok/48319

Elehuris Montero has re-signed with the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Montero will remain in Japan for at least another season after hitting .255/.301/.391 with nine homers in 105 games during his overseas debut last year. The 27-year-old slugger managed just a .665 OPS with 21 homers across 739 plate appearances in 205 games for the Rockies from 2022–2024, never quite finding the consistent power Colorado hoped would materialize. Some players reinvent themselves abroad; others simply relocate the same questions. Montero feels like the latter — a talent suspended between what he is and what there is still hope he might evolve into.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/elehuris-montero/48678

Former Royals LHP Sam Long signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Long will head to Japan after registering a 5.36 ERA in 40 1/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Royals in 2025. Long had a solid 2024 season but was unable to carry that over into 2025. He now has a 4.65 career ERA in 211 MLB innings with the Giants, Athletics, and Royals.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/sam-long/48812

Kenta Maeda has signed a two-year, $2.56 million contract with the Rakuten Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Maeda announced his intention to return to Japan earlier this month and was pursued by several teams before ultimately deciding on a multi-year deal with the Eagles. The 37-year-old veteran returns home after spending a decade in the majors split between the Dodgers, Twins and Tigers. A return to the big leagues seems highly unlikely at this advanced stage of his career.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/kenta-maeda/48787

Daz Cameron has signed with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization, according to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

Cameron was one of the better prospects in Houston’s system last decade after being selected 37th overall in the 2015 MLB Draft. The 28-year-old was traded to Detroit in the Justin Verlander swap and never turned into an everyday option at the highest level before bouncing around the last couple years. He got into 21 games this past season for the Brewers, hitting .195 (8-for-41) with one homer and one steal. He’ll attempt to rebuild his value overseas in Korea next year.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/daz-cameron/50000

The Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball announced that they have signed right-hander Jesús Liranzo to a one-year, $600,000 contract.

The 30-year-old right-hander spent the 2025 season in the Brewers’ organization where he registered a solid 3.39 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and a 64/23 K/BB ratio over 58 1/3 innings in his 48 appearances. After toiling in the minor leagues for 13 seasons without a call-up, Liranzo will see if he use this international opportunity as a springboard to the big leagues.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/jesus-liranzo/49800

Former Rangers’ right-hander Caleb Boushley has signed a one-year contract with the KT Wiz in the Korea Baseball Organization.

The 32-year-old hurler will be guaranteed $900,000 on the deal and has the potential to earn another $100,000 in performance-based incentives. Boushley made 25 appearances for the Rangers in 2025, registering an uninspiring 6.02 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and a 41/14 K/BB ratio across 43 1/3 innings of work.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/caleb-boushley/68551

Matt Manning has signed a one-year contract with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.

No word on the financial terms of the contract. The 27-year-old right-hander and former top prospect was a first-round selection by the Tigers (ninth overall) from the 2016 draft class. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2024 and holds a 4.43 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and a 178/85 K/BB ratio over 254 innings in his career at the game’s highest level. He’ll see if he can rebuild his value in the KBO before a potential return stateside.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/matt-manning/48783

José Castillo has signed a contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Castillo takes his talents overseas after being non-tendered by the Mets last month. The 29-year-old southpaw made relief appearances between the Mets, Diamondbacks, Orioles and Mariners last season, finishing with a respectable 3.94 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 30/14 K/BB ratio across 32 innings of work. He’ll aim to build up his long-term value in Japan before returning stateside in the future.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/jose-castillo/49270