Cody Ponce: Bound for Japan

Ponce was released Tuesday to sign with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

Ponce is still just 27 years old, so it's possible he has success overseas and returns stateside in a few years as a more interesting pitcher. He hasn't shown much thus far in 55.1 innings at the highest level, striking out a modest 19.6 percent of opposing batters en route to a 5.86 ERA.