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2025 - 2026 Astros Offseason Thread

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BA

Tatsuya Imai, RHP 

BA Grade: 60 | Risk: Low | Adjusted: 60

Born: May 9, 1998 | B-T: R-R | HT: 5-11 | WT: 154

Track Record: After winning the 2016 Summer Koshien tournament with Sakushin Gakuin, Imai made the jump directly from high school to Japanese professional baseball. He was drafted by the Seibu Lions with their first pick and spent his debut season with their Eastern League affiliate, the equivalent of Japan’s minor leagues. He broke in with Seibu’s first team in 2018 and saw mixed results over his first three seasons. He established himself as one of the top pitchers in the NPB in 2021, earning his first all-star nod. Imai was an all-star twice more in 2024 and 2025 and finished in the top 10 among starters in ERA each of his final two seasons with Seibu. Imai helped combine for a Lions no-hitter on April 18, 2025, throwing the first eight innings. On Nov. 18, 2025, Seibu posted Imai to MLB teams. 

Scouting Report: Imai is an undersized righthander who’s explosive and mobile on the mound. His low three-quarters slot borders on sidearm and creates a unique approach angle to the plate that creates deception and keeps hitters off balance. Imai throws four pitches, but his primary mix consists of a four-seam fastball, slider and splitter. His four-seamer sits at 95-97 and touches 98-99 at peak with a flat plane of approach and heavy armside run. The fastball is particularly effective when located in the upper third and has been adept at generating swings and misses. Imai’s slider is his best pitch and his primary swing-and-miss weapon. It has a gyro shape, sits 85-87 and touches 88-89 with late downshift that creates unique armside movement. The combination of Imai’s low arm slot, above-average velocity and late armside break make his slider a unique offering. The splitter is Imai’s third pitch, and it features good vertical separation off his fastball and heavy armside run to work as a swing-and-miss pitch in opposite-handed matchups. Imai threw a curveball around 2% of the time in 2025, and it featured spin rates in the 2500-2600 rpm range along with around 8-9 inches of sweep. There’s a real possibility a team adds a sweeper to his arsenal. Imai struggled to throw strikes early in his career, but he has seen consistent gains in that department in each of the last four seasons. He now projects for average control. 

The Future: Imai is a ready-made No. 3 MLB starter who should make an impact immediately. 

Scouting Grades: FB: 55 | CB: 40 | SL: 60 | CH: 55 | CTL: 50

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Fuck yeah! Looking forward to what kind of reaction I’ll get in Japan when I’m there in Nov with my Astros cap.

We definitely need to go to a 6 man (at least early in the season), because that's essentially what they have in Japan. We need Brown and Imai healthy all season.

We had to replace our HVAC unit last July and opted for a Daikin unit, I wanna say I'm doing my part in the Japanese baseball pipeline to Houston

  • Author

2025 Tatsuya Imai

1.92 ERA (156 ERA+)

27.8 K% (#1 in NPB)

.172 BAA

31.1% CSW

1 hour ago, Mez2 said:

Don't forget Justin Verlander!

I could go for some Ramen Tatsuya now

Fuck Verlander for no other reason than his POS brother.

1 hour ago, RGBIII said:

I had heard 1+1 (mutual) for 15 and incentives up to 20 for JV but that was awhile ago and idk how good my info is

It’s dated now. That ain’t happening I wouldn’t think (unless we got a taker for Walker for no money which seems unlikely.

1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

I'm gruntled.

/noanalfissure

One year deal with a projected MLB ERA of 4.3. Meh, if he outperforms he’ll go elsewhere

  • Author
8 minutes ago, msbesq said:

One year deal with a projected MLB ERA of 4.3. Meh, if he outperforms he’ll go elsewhere

handy sci-fi GIF by MANGOTEETH

we can make him better !

  • Author

astros analytics will improve his pitch selection

surly thread will remind him he's worthless

  • Author

per ari alexander ....

A little more specifically what I was told regarding Astros and Asia at Winter Meetings:

They beefed up Asia/Pacific Rim scouting - adding and/or moving 3-4 scouts.

They are looking at Korean and Japanese amateurs more closely.

They were targeting SPs from Asia - and target acquired with Imai.

Jim Crane has been pleased with his partnership with Daikin and thought having high level Japanese players would be a positive marketing-wise.

8 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

astros analytics will improve his pitch selection

surly thread will remind him he's worthless

Will? Shit, two posts above you he is already considered a questionable signing.

1 minute ago, tx 3 putt said:

per ari alexander ....

A little more specifically what I was told regarding Astros and Asia at Winter Meetings:

They beefed up Asia/Pacific Rim scouting - adding and/or moving 3-4 scouts.

They are looking at Korean and Japanese amateurs more closely.

They were targeting SPs from Asia - and target acquired with Imai.

Jim Crane has been pleased with his partnership with Daikin and thought having high level Japanese players would be a positive marketing-wise.

You forgot the Asians love of golf.

Just to remind everyone, Kikuchi's best stretch of play in the majors was with the pitching gurus in Houston. I really like this signing. Clearly, Crane is trying to find another market efficiency and now has the support at the corporate level to help mine it.

1 hour ago, tx 3 putt said:

image.pngProud Classic Tv GIF by Sony Pictures Television

The coffee and cocktails guy?

Imai signing definitely came out of nowhere. As recently as this morning people were assuming NYM, NYY, PHI, CHC...etc.

Chandler mentioned on the podcast today that not only was he blindsided by it, his sources in the org didn't even know it had progressed much beyond initial conversations with Boras.

  • Author
1 hour ago, HtownHorn said:

Just to remind everyone, Kikuchi's best stretch of play in the majors was with the pitching gurus in Houston. I really like this signing. Clearly, Crane is trying to find another market efficiency and now has the support at the corporate level to help mine it.

Daniel Larusso GIF

astros phyops staff 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Love this signing. A lot.

Now get somebody else for that 4th starter slot that has LMJ's picture in it.

9 hours ago, PGFrog said:

Fuck that, time for Crane to go full Cody Campbell if the Astros are going to go 173-0 this year.

I’d prefer to not be shutout in the Division Series.

Thinking a bit more about this, I recall reading about him as an interesting prospect for the MLB a while ago, but then I said to myself, "it's gonna fucking suck when he signs with the Dodgers."

Never thought the Astros would be able to get him. I figured we would be trading for some journeyman in his 30s as a backup to the IL carousel this team has every year. Nice to see a surprise like that to start the new year. Also love the quote about wanting to beat Ohtani, Yamamoto and friends. That's the kind of attitude you want in a clubhouse, he's gonna do great here.

6 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

image.pngProud Classic Tv GIF by Sony Pictures Television

They are nuts if they have LMJ over Spaghetti

Anyone know how to say mullet in japanese? Because that's a sweet one.

1 hour ago, Hornsbay22 said:

They are nuts if they have LMJ over Spaghetti

Anyone penciling in poor Lance in the rotation must have been in a coma since 2021.

35 minutes ago, LCHorn said:

Anyone penciling in poor Lance in the rotation must have been in a coma since 2021.

I mean, he might make it into the rotation ... for like a week, before something in his arm explodes.

11 hours ago, tx ind said:

I’d prefer to not be shutout in the Division Series.

Leave Tech alone!

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