Former MLB Players in NPB in 2007

2006
Hanshin - P Chris Oxspring
Yomiuri - P Gary Glover, IF Joe Dillon
Nippon Ham - P Felix Diaz, IF Jose Macias
Softbank - P D.J. Carrasco
Chiba Lotte - P Justin Miller
Orix - P Wes Obermueller, IF Jason Grabowksi
Rakuten - P Ryan Glynn, OF Eric Valent

2007
Chunichi - P's Joe Valentine (did not play), Santiago Ramirez, Franklyn Gracesqui
Hanshin - P Esteban Yan
Yakult - P Seth Greiisinger, OF Aaron Guiel
Yomiuri - P Geremi Gonzalez, IF Luis Gonzalez, OF Damon Hollins
Hiroshima - P Jared Fernandez
Yokohama - P's Scott Chiasson (did not play), Matt White, Joselo Diaz
Nippon Ham - P Brian Sweeney, IF Andy Green
Seibu - P Jason Johnson
Softbank - P's Jason Standridge, C.J. Nitkowski, IF Brian Buchanan, OF Adam Hyzdu
Orix - P Lance Carter, OF Chad Allen

A more interesting list would be the former NPB players in MLB for 2006/2007.

2007

American League

Boston- Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima, Bryan Corey
New York- Hideki Matsui, Kei Igawa
Toronto- Matt Stairs, Tomokazu Ohka
Tampa Bay- Akinori Iwamura, Gary Glover
Cleveland- Rafael Betancourt
Detroit- Timo Perez
Chicago- Tadahito Iguchi
Kansas City- John Bale
Los Angeles- Hector Carrasco
Seattle- Kenji Johjima, Ichiro Suzuki
Texas- Akinori Ohtsuka

National League
Philadelphia- Tadahito Iguchi
New York- Julio Franco, Pedro Feliciano
Atlanta- Julio Franco, Buddy Carlyle
Washington- Tony Batista
Florida- Wes Obermueller
Chicago- Alfonso Soriano
Milwaukee- Joe Dillon, Brian Shouse, Elmer Dessens
St.Louis- So Taguchi
Houston- Travis Driskill
Pittsburgh- Masumi Kuwata, John Wasdin
Colorado- Kazuo Matsui, Elmer Dessens, Ramon Ramirez, Dan Serafini
Los Angeles- Takashi Saitoh
San Fransisco- Scott McClain

2006

American League

New York- Hideki Matsui
Toronto- Pete Walker
Boston- Gabe Kapler, Bryan Corey, Mike Holtz
Tampa Bay- Kevin Witt, Dan Miceli
Minnesota- Tony Batista
Detroit- Matt Stairs
Chicago- Tadahito Iguchi
Cleveland- Lou Merloni, Rafael Betancourt, Brian Sikorski, Eduardo Perez
Kansas City- Matt Stairs, Elmer Dessens
Los Angeles- Hector Carrasco
Texas- Matt Stairs, John Wasdin, Akinori Ohtsuka, Bryan Corey, Brian Shouse

National League
New York- Julio Franco, Kazuo Matsui, Pedro Feliciano
Philadelphia- Randall Simon, Julio Santana
Washington- Alfonso Soriano
St.Louis- So Taguchi, Timo Perez
Cincinnati- Andy Abad
Milwaukee- Tomokazu Ohka, Brian Shouse
San Deigo- Brian Sikorski
Los Angeles- Takashi Saitoh, Giovanni Carrara, Elmer Dessens
Colorado- Kazuo Matsui, Ramon Ramirez

To break that down further: Alfonso Soriano, Ramon Ramirez, Timo Perez, Rafael Betancourt, and Travis Driskill all debuted in NPB before MLB.

Thank you John Brooks!

Ryan Vogelsong moved from the Pirates in 2006 to the Hanshin Tigers this year.

Thanks. I currently have a count of 667 players who have played in both NPB and MLB.

Just to make sure I haven't missed any other recent ones, mind posting the same list of first-timers in NPB for 2005?

THANKS,
KJOK

2005

Hanshin- P's Darwin Cubillan, Jamie Brown, OF Shane Spencer
Chunichi- P Luis Martinez
Yokohama- P's Mike Holtz, Marc Kroon, 1B Kevin Witt
Yakult- P Rick Guttormson, IF Adam Riggs
Yomiuri- P Dan Miceli, Bart Miadich, OF Gabe Kapler
Hiroshima- P Mike Romano
Chiba Lotte- OF Val Pascucci
Softbank- P Pedro Feliciano, IF's Jolbert Cabrera, Tony Batista
Orix- P Josh Stewart, IF Randall Simon, OF's Cliff Brumbaugh, Karim Garcia
Nippon Ham- P's Micheal Nakamura, Corey Lee, Brad Thomas, IF Eric Almonte
Rakuten- P Aaron Myette, IF's Luis Lopez(not be confused with the Luis Lopez who played from 1996 to 1998, and from 2000 to 2002), Damon Minor, Andy Tracy

Thanks again.

The only one I differ with is Rick Guttormson - he has never been an MLB player.

What about this coming year? I've been trying my best to keep up, but have been unable to do so completely. Before the season starts, or whenever, can somebody come up with a list of players jumping to NPB from the States for the 2008 season?

Would be appreciated. Thanks.

- [...] can somebody come up with a list of players jumping to NPB from the States for the 2008 season?

Hanshin - OF Lew Ford
Hiroshima - 3B Scott Seabol, P's Colby Lewis, Ben Kozlowski, Mike Schultz
Nippon Ham - OF Termel Sledge, P Kazuhito Tadano
Seibu - 1B/DH Craig Brazell, OF Hiram Bocachica, P Matt Kinney
Softbank - OF Michael Restovich
YakultYokohama - IF J.J. Furmaniak, P's Dave Williams, Travis Hughes, Mike Wood, Yusaku Iriki
Yokohama - OF Larry Bigbie

Right now, Yokohama looks likely to cut Bigbie loose rather than face an public relations disaster.

[Editor missed the Yakult/Yokohama mix up first time around. Sorry about that.]

Er, aren't all of the players you list under Yakult actually going to Yokohama?

- Er, aren't all of the players you list under Yakult actually going to Yokohama?

Yeah, I noticed that. When entering the names on my spreadsheet at home, I had Yakult overload on my head.

Yes, as Deanna says everyone on the Swallows list is going to Yokohama. Geez, I can't believe I would even mistake Yakult for signing anyone.

Awesome. Thank you, very helpful. I appreciate it.

This is just a side note, but Yakult is going to pick up Dan Rios, who has had success in both Korea and Taiwan. I have no idea if he is the same guy who pitched for the Yankees and Kansas City for a total of a seven game MLB career. John?

- I have no idea if he is the same guy who pitched for the Yankees and Kansas City for a total of a seven game MLB career. John?

It's the same Rios.

I found this article [in Korean] saying the same thing you mentioned. It says they're close to a 2 year contract, worth 300,000,000 (3-oku) yen with a possible option for a third year.

The article also says that Orix lost out on Rios. They were only offering a one year deal. No wonder they lost out on him. More of the same ineffectiveness from the Orix front office.

Two more updates to the list mentioned above: Winston Abreu (formerly of the Washington Nationals) signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines and pitcher Scott Atchison (formerly of the San Francisco Giants) reached an agreement with the Hanshin Tigers.

Yomiuri just signed Adrian Burnside.

The Angels, by the way, picked up the son of former Yomiuri reliever Mitsuo Sumi, Ikko Sumi. He played some catcher and DH down in the Dominican Summer League for them this past season. He is listed at 5'8" and 187 pounds and played third at Tokaidai Sagami High, where he batted cleanup and clubbed 30 homers, before he dropped out of Hakuo University. Gambatte Ikko-kun!