Right-hander Genei Sato, a third-year student at Sendai University in Japan, intends to transfer to a U.S. college in February 2026 to become eligible for the 2027 MLB Draft. The 21-year-old pitcher, seen as a potential first-round pick in Japan's 2026 NPB Draft, will play summer ball in the U.S. beforehand. This move follows a growing trend among Japanese amateurs seeking paths to Major League Baseball through NCAA programs.
Genei Sato, days away from turning 21, is charting an unconventional course to the majors. Currently at Sendai University in Shibata, Japan, the 6-foot, 180-pound right-hander has drawn attention for his high-90s fastball, low-90s splitter, and slider. Evaluators note his athletic delivery and potential for physical projection, positioning him as a prospect with early first-round upside in the MLB Draft.
Sato's decision bypasses the traditional posting system used by most Japanese players entering MLB. As a college player without an NPB contract, he can pursue NCAA eligibility directly. He plans to join a U.S. summer league in 2026 before enrolling in a college program for the 2027 season, making him draft-eligible at age 22.
This path builds on precedents set by others. Rintaro Sasaki, the first Japanese high schooler to choose NCAA over NPB, is a sophomore at Stanford, where he hit .269/.377/.413 with seven home runs and eight doubles in 2025. Kenny Ishikawa, a two-way player who started at Seattle University, transferred to Georgia and is praised by coach Wes Johnson as "one of the best athletes I’ve ever coached."
Sato's experience against top American talent bolsters his profile. In the 2025 Japan-USA Collegiate Baseball Championship Series, he closed 4.1 innings for the Japanese National Team, allowing one run and striking out six. His victims included MLB Pipeline's top 2026 draft prospect Roch Cholowsky, along with Drew Burress (No. 5), A.J. Gracia (No. 15), Eric Becker (No. 11), Drew Burres (No. 16), and Ryder Helfrick (No. 70).
Cholowsky, who faced Sato twice—once hitting a fastball to the wall and once striking out—described him to Baseball America: “He’s real... (He) was like 97-99, throwing a splitter at like 92. A lot of ride on the fastball. Throws his splitter hard but has depth on it, too.” Four strikeouts came on fastballs, two on the splitter, highlighting its late action from his three-quarters arm slot and high leg kick.
