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The Dodgers sent a three-man envoy to Yokohama High School on Saturday to meet with Japanese teenage right-hander Shoki Oda.
The face-to-face meeting lasted more than three hours, according to Japanese news reports, which pointed out that Oda’s talks with representatives of other major-league organizations were in the one- to two-hour range.
Representing the Dodgers were vice president of player personnel Galen Carr, adviser Yogo Suzuki and scout Toru Sugiura. Oda was accompanied by his mother and Yokohama High baseball coach Hiroaki Murata.
Carr later told reporters that he considered Oda to not only be the best 18-year-old pitcher in the world but also the most talented pitcher to come out of Japan since Roki Sasaki.
Oda is known to have previously met with the Yankees, Rangers, Blue Jays, Phillies, Mets, Cardinals and Tigers. He is expected to meet with 12 MLB teams.
Carr said he told Oda if he signs with the Dodgers, the organization would come up with a development plan that is specifically designed for him.
Oda has said he is focused on a move to the United States even after his first-round selection by the Tokyo Giants in the recent Nippon Professional Baseball draft.
The Dodgers are industry-wide favorites to sign Oda, who is represented by the same management company that facilitated Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s and Sasaki’s move to the major leagues. Oda has said Yamamoto is his favorite baseball player.
MLB’s upcoming work stoppage could be an obstacle for the Dodgers.
The international player acquisition system is collectively bargained, and baseball’s current collective-bargaining agreement will expire on Dec. 1, at which point franchise owners will lock out the players.
Oda would not be able to sign until a new CBA is ratified.
