Japanese pitchers Akihiro Aoyagi and Shintaro Fujilang were awarded minor league contracts, and the 31-year-old Aoyagi, who plays for the Japanese Hanshin Tigers, joined the company on December 4 last year, and he signed with the Phillies before the 45-day deadline, including an offer to spring training in the major leagues. Philadelphians must pay 20% of the entry fee to the Hanshin Tigers. Shintaro Fujinana was awarded a minor league contract with the Mariners and also had the opportunity to participate in spring training in February.

Aoyagi participated in the Tokyo Olympics, and the Japanese samurai won the gold medal, but he was beaten 5 points in 1.2 games and did not join the later classic lineup. He left a 3.08 defense rate and a 17.1 percent strikeout rate in his nine years in the Japanese office, the latter being significantly below the average for major league pitchers (22.7 percent).

The 30-year-old has suffered many setbacks since his arrival in the United States, and his last major league appearance was for the Orioles on October 1, 2023, when he was signed by the Mets last year for a one-year, $3.35 million contract, but was sent to the minor leagues without a chance to play. Shintaro Fujinani is considered to be a poor pitcher, with strong ball speed but lack of ball control, and there are too many violent throws and four bad shots. He earned $6.6 million in the U.S. and played just 79 games in the major leagues (seven of 64 starts).