Getting to know Yusei Kikuchi, with insight from Jason Coskrey

One year after Shohei Ohtani landed in North America with the Los Angeles Angels and established himself as one of the most entertaining players in baseball, another Japanese import will join him in MLB.

On Monday, promising left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who attended the same high school as Ohtani, reportedly agreed to a deal with the Seattle Mariners, adding a potential top-of-the-rotation starter into their mix.

Kikuchi doesn't come with the same fanfare as Ohtani, but he's been widely regarded as one of the top starting pitchers in Japan over the past five years.

Here's a rundown of the newest addition to the Mariners starting rotation.

Position: Starting pitcher
Age: 27
Throws: Left
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 194lbs
Hometown: Morioka, Japan
Previous employer: Saitama Seibu Lions
Years in professional baseball: Eight

Stats (All levels)

Background

Kikuchi was posted by the Seibu Lions on Dec. 3 after nine seasons with the club. He went 14-4 and struck out 153 hitters in 163 2/3 innings this past season, helping the Lions finish with the best record in the Pacific League.

His work stood out more in 2017, however, when he posted a 16-6 record with a 1.97 ERA in 187 2/3 innings, which included a career-best 10.4 SO/9 mark.

Kikuchi spent time on the disabled list this past season due to stiffness in his throwing shoulder, but has since recovered from the ailment.

The Scott Boras client has dreamed of playing in the major leagues since high school and even considered bypassing the amateur draft in Japan to sign with an MLB club when he was 18 years old.

Kikuchi on the hill

Kikuchi talks MLB

Q&A with Jason Coskrey

Jason Coskrey is a baseball writer who has worked for The Japan Times since 2007.

BM: Kikuchi used to be more of a two-pitch pitcher, mostly slider and fastball, but has he changed things up since hurting his shoulder? What is he featuring now?

JC: This past year he threw fewer fastballs and more sliders. He also went to his curveball more than in the past, though he always threw it. But the fastball/slider is still his main combo. What he changed after his shoulder were some parts of his mechanics.

BM: If you had to compare him to a pitcher from MLB, past or present, who would it be?

JC: He's not (Clayton) Kershaw, but he tries to emulate him somewhat, though he doesn't have the same curveball and Kershaw probably throws his more. One (comparison) I've seen, that isn't something I came up with but seems fair (though not totally spot on), is Patrick Corbin.

BM: Kershaw is his favorite player and he was a fan of Kazuhisa Ishii. Do you know if he follows anyone else closely?

JC: He paid attention to how left-handers approached hitters and the type of out pitches good left-handers utilized. So he looked at and studied a lot of guys through the years.

What other people have said about him

"He's a good lefty who throws at 92-93 mph with a cutter, a slider, and (a) good straight change. He's a solid (third starter), maybe better than that." - A scout told Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports.

"They all mention that his work ethic and competitiveness are top-notch. It's also known that he really wants to go to MLB and compete against the best." - Frank Herrmann, former MLB pitcher now playing in Japan, told MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.

"A true power left-hander." A scout told Danny Knobler of Bleacher Report.

"If it all comes together, a highly respected No. 2. Will be one of the better left-handed starters in the big leagues." - A different scout told Knobler.