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High schooler Kikuchi to remain in Japan

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By Thomas Harding / MLB.com

10/25/09 3:48 AM ET

Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi's 96 mph fastball had eight Major League teams courting him. But Kikuchi is not ready to move so fast.

Kikuchi, 18, announced at a press conference Sunday in Japan that he will opt for his country's pro leagues for now. He is expected to be the No. 1 pick in Japan's Oct. 29 amateur draft.

"I don't think I have what it takes to compete at the world level yet," The Associated Press quoted Kikuchi as saying during the press conference.

Once a player joins a Japanese team, he must play nine seasons before becoming a free agent. Some players, such as Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, can leave earlier through a posting system that allows Major League teams to bid for negotiating rights

Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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