Imanaga's elite four-seamer; Winn and J. Soriano

Shota Imanaga's Elite Four-Seamer

Most of the buzz in the offseason surrounded Yoshinobu Yamamoto out of the NPB, but Shota Imanaga went as the cheaper starting pitcher in ADP. While we can't expect Imanaga to rock an ERA and WHIP around 1.00 or below, the skills tell us an exciting story. Imanaga has an elite K-BB% of 23%. It's a mixture of elite control, with a 32.5% Ball% and a 15.4% SwK.

SeasonIPERA/xERAWHIPH%/S%FB%BB%Ball%K%SwK%HR/FBPX
202441.21.08/3.490.81626%/94%48.2%3.1%32.5%26.9%15.4%5.6%186

Imanaga primarily uses a four-seamer (57.9%) and splitter (30.3%) while sprinkling in a sweeper 7.6% of the time. Though his fastball seems pedestrian based on the 92.1 mph velocity, Imanaga's four-seamer has the eighth-best induced vertical...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From Arsenal Report

Bryce Miller and Ian Seymour have both taken steps forward in 2026, with profiles built around high FBs
Jul 10 2026 3:06am
Chase Burns and Kyle Harrison, two young arms who rely mostly on two pitches, have both made adjustments to improve in 2026.
Jun 26 2026 3:06am
Aaron Nola has really struggled with his fastballs to start 2026, and we dig into why. Also, Dustin May has reinvented himself in St. Louis.
Jun 12 2026 3:06am
Parker Messick has been a revelation to start 2026, with a well-rounded profile, while Logan Gilbert has struggled with his core arsenal.
May 15 2026 3:06am
Two former top 10 picks have made major adjustments in 2026 that have their stocks pointing up.
May 1 2026 3:06am

Tools