Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Curveball: 45 | Splitter : 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Morii chose to forego entering the NPB Draft, where he likely would have been a Top 10 selection as a two-way talent, to carve out his own unique path. He became available to MLB clubs during the 2025 international signing period, and the A’s landed him with a record deal of $1,510,000 million, the largest signing bonus ever awarded to an amateur from Japan. After getting his feet wet stateside in the Arizona Complex League, Morii is set to begin his first full professional season as a two-way player.

The A’s have been impressed with what they have seen from Morii at the plate early on. He brings a smooth, balanced left-handed swing with good barrel control, while his power has always been evident, having crushed 45 home runs in high school. On the mound, Morii is still a bit raw. He is about where an American high school pitcher would be at this point in their development, with a fastball that can touch 94 mph but usually sits 92-93. He continues to experiment with his breaking ball, utilizing both a curveball and slider, along with a solid splitter that is his best secondary pitch. His command is decent, but there is still a good amount of overall development to do as a pitcher.

The A’s are formulating a plan to allow Morii the opportunity to play as a position player and pitcher. He will likely move to second base this season, not because he can’t play shortstop well, but to ease the workload on his body. The 6-foot teenager’s physical traits and desire to be one of the next great players to come out of Japan excites the A’s.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Curveball: 45 | Splitter: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Rather than enter the NPB Draft, where he was forecasted as a potential Top 10 pick for his prowess on both sides of the diamond, Morii wanted to instead carve his own unique path as a Japanese standout. Becoming available to MLB clubs during the 2025 international signing period, the A’s handed out a landmark deal of $1,510,000 million, which is the largest signing bonus ever handed out to an amateur from Japan. A large selling point in the A’s favor was their belief in him as a two-way player, and he will get that opportunity to pitch, hit and field to begin his pro career in 2025.

At the plate, Morii features a smooth left-handed swing with tremendous balance. His power stands out, as he clubbed 45 home runs as a high schooler. He is considered an advanced hitter with good barrel control. On the mound, his fastball has been clocked as high as 95 mph and sits around 92-93. He also brings a splitter with nasty movement, a true 12-to-6 curveball and a tighter slider with solid bite and depth, though that offering will probably require some fine-tuning. Having only been pitching with regularity for less than two years, Morii’s arm is relatively fresh as he enters the organization.

Morii’s high-octane throwing arm plays well at shortstop, but some evaluators see a possibility of moving to third base as his 6-foot-1 frame fills out. While scouts see Morii’s long-term future in the batter’s box, the A’s plan on giving him every opportunity to succeed as a two-way player, with excitement already building over his impressive physical traits and desire to become one of the next great players out of Japan.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	SS Shotaro Morii assigned to Athletics Prospects.
	03/06/2025	activated SS Shotaro Morii.
	01/15/2025	ACL Athletics activated SS Shotaro Morii.
	01/15/2025	Athletics signed free agent SS Shotaro Morii to a minor league contract.
	01/15/2025	SS Shotaro Morii assigned to ACL Athletics.