Star Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki reportedly coming to MLB this offseason

A star-studded MLB free-agent market is about to add another big name to its ranks. Star Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki is expected to be posted this offseason, according to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com.

Suzuki, 27, will be posted by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp once the Japan Series concludes at the end of November. Suzuki — a right-handed hitter and fielder — has a career .315/.415/.571 slash line across nine seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. He hit .319/.436/.640 with 38 home runs in 133 games in 2021.

If he's made available, Suzuki would be one of the best outfielders on the market. Kris Bryant, Nick Castellanos and Starling Marte are among the best players available in the outfield.

How does the posting process work for Japanese players?

Once Suzuki is posted, any MLB team can negotiate for Suzuki. If Suzuki is signed, the Carp will receive a posting fee based on the amount of money for which Suzuki signs.

Since Suzuki is older than 25, he won't be subject to an international bonus pool spending cap. Under the current collective-bargaining agreement, foreign players who come to MLB before age 25 are subject to strict spending caps. Those rules led to Ohtani, who came over at 23, making the major-league minimum during his first year with the Los Angeles Angels.

Those rules won't apply to Suzuki, meaning he's eligible for a significant contract. Some believed Ohtani could have received $200 million if he waited two seasons to be posted. Suzuki won't make that much, but a multi-year, multi-million dollar deal is likely.

Given both his age and ability, Suzuki should draw serious interest from a number of MLB teams this offseason.