Shohei Otani says he wants to sign with either the Dodgers, Red Sox or Rangers. (Getty Images)

Japanese high school sensation Shohei Otani was drafted by the Nippon Ham Fighters in the first round of Thursday's NPB draft, as had been expected. Otani, 18, had asked Japanese teams not to draft him because he intends to sign with a Major League Baseball team.

Even though Otani was drafted by the Fighters, he'll still be able to sign with an MLB team. Baseball America cites a Major League Baseball official as saying Otani may sign at any time, even though he was drafted by the Fighters. The Fighters' exclusivity window runs through March 31, but it applies only to Japanese teams.

If Otani does sign with an MLB team, he will not be allowed to return to NPB for three years if he returns to Japan.

"My feelings haven't changed," Otani said after the draft, according to The Associated Press. "I'm grateful that they appreciate me, but it doesn't change my desire to play in America."

According to Nikkan Sports (via YakyuBaka.com), Otani said he hopes to sign with one of the three teams that visited him in Japan -- the Dodgers, Rangers or Red Sox. Some Japanese papers have reported the Dodgers are a favorite.

"I have heard that other teams are interested, but right now I think I want to select from the three," Otani told Nikkan Sports.

The Fighters announced before the draft they were planning on selecting Otani, a right-hander who has thrown 99 mph in a game.

The NPB draft is handled differently than MLB's; instead of a draft order in the first round, all 12 teams submit the name of the player they want to pick. If more than one team wants to pick the same player, there's a drawing to see which team will get that player. At that point, the teams that don't win the player make another selection. That process is repeated until all teams have one player. The Fighters were the only team to select Otani.

"It is Otani-kun," general manager Masao Yamada announced before the draft, according to Sanspo (via YakyuBaka.com). "I am planning to select the best player available. … Otani-kun commented that he wanted to play for an MLB team, but our plan is to select the best player. We plant to select Otani-kun. … We understand Otani-kun has strong feelings for the majors. Even if we do get rights to negotiate with him, I am not confident [we can sign him]. However, we will not step down."

Yamada said the team elected to announce its intentions because he felt it would hurt the team's chances to sign him if they surprised him on draft day. Last season the Fighters chose Tomoyuki Sugano, a pitcher for Toaki University, who chose not to sign with the Fighters. Sugano wanted to play for the Yomiuri Giants, who are managed by his uncle, Tatsunori Hara. Sugano did not play competitive baseball last year and was taken by the Giants in the first round of the draft this season.

"It's not about selecting players we know we can sign, but rather selecting the number one player," Yamada said, according to Nikkan Sports (via YakyuBaka.com). "That is what the draft is about and our scouting is about."

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