On Monday, it was reported by Nikkan Sports that Sendai University right-handed pitcher Genei Sato would be leaving enrolling at a college in the United States this spring. According to the report, Sato plans on enrolling at a university in February and does not intend on playing baseball in the spring, but does intend on playing summer ball in the United States as he prepares for the 2027 season.
The report states Sato does not intend to make himself draft-eligible in 2026 despite already being 21 years of age. According to Major League Baseball, players attending four-year colleges are eligible to be drafted upon completing their junior year or turning 21 years old -- the latter obviously making Sato conceivably eligible this July.
Sato will be a loss for the Japanese baseball community and the Nippon Professional Baseball league. Pacific Rim scouts in Major League Baseball believe Sato was destined …