Padres Officially Sign Japanese Pitcher To Minor League Contract

The San Diego Padres enter a pivotal offseason once again. 

This time, San Diego won a playoff series, but they fell short of the NLCS after losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS. The Brewers are playing in the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, so that's certainly a positive development. 

Still, with new owners in town, it could be a very busy offseason in America's Finest City. 

On Friday, the Padres made their first signing, agreeing to a minor league contract with Japanese right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Nogami, according to a report from Francys Romero. 

Romero reports that the deal includes a $300,000 signing bonus. 

Clark Fahrenthold had some more details about Nogami. He is 20 years old, and he reported that his fastball sits anywhere from ranged 93-96 mph. He also throws a splitter and multiple breaking balls. 

Fahrenthold reported the signing a week ago, but Romero's report is the official move. 

As for San Diego, adding pitching has to be one of the top priorities, especially with the way things went with the starters this season. 

Ace Michael King is likely to cash in big if he opts out of his deal, and he was a massive part of the Padres' success in the regular season and postseason. 

Nogami was playing at Osaka Sangyo University and he was a third-year, but now he will make the transition to MLB, and it seems likely that he will sit in the minors as he is viewed as a developmental piece. 

Still, the $300,000 signing bonus is notable, and it might signal that the Padres think highly of him as a long-term piece. 

International moves might be coming more and more this offseason, and it has been a mixed bag when these players make the move to MLB. 

For San Diego, there is also a huge question about All-Star reliever Adrian Morejon, who is widely expected to be the best reliever on the market this time around, although he has expressed his desire to stay in San Diego. 

The Nogami signing is one that could pay huge dividends if he can develop in the minors. 

As always, we never know what GM A.J. Preller will be doing anytime any offseason, and this figures to be the first of many moves coming for the Padres, although the MLB lockout could make the offseason longer than usual.