Caught Between Two Drafts: Rintaro Sasaki and the Intersection of the NPB and MLB Player Entry Systems
By Takao Ohashi, Attorney at PAX Law Office (Tokyo), Professor, Kanazawa Institute of Technology Toranomon Graduate School
Introduction
On July 12, 2026, the Miami Marlins selected Stanford infielder Rintaro Sasaki in the eighth round (235th overall) of the MLB Draft. For American readers, an eighth-round pick from Stanford is unremarkable. What makes Sasaki's situation extraordinary is that he simultaneously holds a first-round designation from the October 2025 draft of Nippon Professional Base
