Junichi Tazawa, a 22-year-old Japanese right-handed pitcher, signed a Major League Baseball contract with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.

No details of the deal were initially revealed but terms reportedly will keep the star from Nippon Oil of Japan's amateur-level Industrial League with the Red Sox for three years for about three million dollars.

Tazawa could become the third Japanese pitcher in the Boston lineup, joining Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima, both of whom played key roles in the Red Sox's victory in the 2007 World Series.

While a minor-league start to his American adventure is expected, Tazawa could make a quick jump to the Red Sox roster with guidance from his compatriots in pre-season training camps that open in February.

Tazawa had rejected earlier overtures from several US clubs, including the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers.

AFP

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