Sasaki was drafted in the eighth round, 235th overall, by the Marlins in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
The Stanford slugger is a bit of a trailblazer, having left Japan after setting a new home-run record for a high schooler to play college ball in the US and try to get to MLB sooner, rather than beginning his career in NPB and relying on the posting system. Sasaki's had mixed results at Stanford while adjusting to a new language and culture, but he showed improvement in 2026 as a sophomore, launching 16 homers in 54 games with a .262/.403/.549 slash line. Sasaki's power is legit, but there are serious questions about his hit tool and he's likely limited to first base defensively. Given his stated goal of playing in the majors, he could feel turning pro is his best path forward, but returning to Stanford or even heading back home, where his rights are held by the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, remain options for the 21-year-old.