DeNA BayStars slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo’s priority for choosing a new team is playing time, agent Joel Wolfe said Wednesday at the baseball winter meetings in San Diego, according to Kyodo News.
“He is not simply looking for the most money,” Wolfe said. “He wants to be in a baseball environment where he can showcase his talents, and prove that Japanese hitters can successfully be productive in Major League Baseball.”
According to the agent, the two-hour workouts left teams impressed by Tsutsugo’s versatility and willingness to put himself in challenging situations such as playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic and playing third base at the drop of a hat because his team needed him to.
The agent said Tsutsugo, who has been working out with major leaguer Nolan Arenado at a facility owned by the Colorado Rockies’ Gold Glove third baseman.
Tsutsugo will have to sign a contract by next week, but Wolfe said he expects a decision a few days ahead of that to account for any potential hangups.
“In baseball we expect the unexpected,” Wolfe said.
The jballallen.com profile of Tsutsugo can be found HERE.
