Major League Baseball announced Monday the posting of Seibu Lions shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima to the 30 major league clubs that can potentially bid for the 29-year-old.
Teams will have until 5 p.m. Eastern time Friday (7 a.m. Saturday, Japan time) to submit sealed bids under the posting system.
The highest bidding club wins the right to negotiate exclusively with Nakajima, and Seibu plans to accept the offer as it has not set a minimum amount for the bid. Thirty days are allotted to negotiate exclusively with the player.
Nakajima was drafted in the fifth round in 2001 and became Seibu's regular shortstop from 2004. He won the Pacific League title with 173 hits in 2009.
A member of Japan's winning team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Nakajima batted .297 with 16 home runs and 100 RBIs in 144 games this season.