Junichi Tazawa, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher who wants to play in the major leagues, was passed over by Japan's 12 professional teams in Thursday's amateur draft.
Tazawa, whose fastball reaches 155 kph, had asked Japanese teams not to select him so that he could pursue a career in the United States.
"I'm very relieved," Tazawa said. "I was very nervous right up until the end of the draft."
Several major league teams, including the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, scouted Tazawa while he led Nippon Oil to the corporate league championship this season.
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