Report: Top Japanese pitcher Yamaguchi to be posted

Major League Baseball's free-agent market for pitching will get a little deeper as Yomiuri Giants right-hander Shun Yamaguchi is expected to be posted, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The 32-year-old has spent his entire 14-year professional career pitching in Japan, but he expressed a desire to play in the majors. His move to North America will be historic for Yomiuri, which has never posted a player due to its criticism of the system.

Yamaguchi began his career as a reliever, racking up 111 saves before transitioning to a starter. He posted a 2.91 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 170 innings with the Giants last season, striking out 188 batters and allowing just eight home runs.

The posting system for Japanese players has been revised in recent years. Once the player is posted, he has 30 days to sign with any MLB team of his choosing. After the player and MLB team agree on a contract, the signing team pays the Japanese club a transfer fee based on a percentage of the value of the contract the player signed.

Yamaguchi will join fellow Japanese players Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, Ryosuke Kikuchi, and Shogo Akiyama as hopefuls to land an MLB deal this winter.