Cardinals Join Race For 18-Year-Old Pitcher Who Threw 97.6 MPH
· Yahoo Sports
The St. Louis Cardinals are not waiting for the next draft class to find their ace. They are chasing an 18-year-old Japanese pitcher right now. This prospect, Shoki Oda, skipped the professional draft in his home country to come to the United States. He already threw a fastball that hit 97.6 miles per hour. At the Summer Koshien, that velocity established a tournament record. The Cardinals want to sign him as soon as the international window opens.
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Francys Romero of Beisbolfr.com reported the movement on Friday. He wrote that Oda and his team met with several clubs yesterday. The list included the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets. “Japanese 18-year-old pitching prospect Shoki Oda and his camp met with MLB teams yesterday, including the [Philadelphia Phillies] and [New York Mets],” Romero wrote. The Cardinals are also on that list of teams meeting with the young arm. They expect to sit down with Oda in the coming hours alongside the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, and New York Yankees.
A Bypass of the NPB Draft
Most top players in Japan stay home to start their careers. Oda did the opposite. He was projected as a first-round pick in the NPB Draft but chose to walk away from that path. He wants to build his future in Major League Baseball instead. The 6-foot-1 right-hander played for Yokohama High School. His size suggests he could grow into his frame even more. As he fills out, that blistering fastball might get even harder. Oda can sign on Jan. 15, 2027, unless a lockout stops the process.
The Cardinals have a strong history of finding great pitching talent. They have stockpiled elite arms like Liam Doyle, Tanner Franklin, and Brandon Clarke. They also have Jurrangelo Cijntje and Yhoiker Fajardo in the mix. Adding Oda to this group would make the farm system look even deeper. Chaim Bloom has built a reputation for developing young pitchers. If Oda signs, he will have a clear path to work his way up the ladder.
A Team Built for the Future
This move fits the current mood in St. Louis. The team is not a World Series contender yet, but the foundation is there. Young players like JJ Wetherholt and Joshua Baez made the jump to the big leagues in 2026. Jordan Walker also broke out in a big way. The club needs more pieces to win when that time comes. Alec Burleson, a key part of the lineup, says he wants to be there for the long haul. He told Cardinal Territory, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love St. Louis.”
Burleson knows the timeline might be slow. He is ready to wait for the team to get better. “I want to be here for a long time,” Burleson said. The front office agrees with the patient approach. They are building a roster that can contend soon. The signing of a high-upside pitcher like Oda shows they are serious about that plan. The organization is looking for players who can help the team win in the near future.
Oda remains eligible to sign in January unless the international signing period gets canceled. That date marks the next big step for the Cardinals’ search for pitching help.