The Yokohama have reached an agreement on a two-year deal with unsigned free agent Tony Blanco, the Central League club said Tuesday.
The 32-year-old, who led the Central League in home runs and RBIs in his first Nippon Professional Baseball season in 2009, has a career average of .262 over four seasons with 111 home runs and 309 RBIs. His contract calls for an annual salary of¥200 million with additional performance-based incentives that could bring the total value of the package to ¥500 million.
Blanco hit 24 homers in 96 games this year, his fourth with the Chunichi Dragons. He became a free agent when the Dragons failed to come to terms with him.
"I want to win the home run title and contribute to winning a pennant," he said in a statement released by the team.
The BayStars have finished last for the past five seasons. Despite playing in a home run-friendly park, Yokohama was next to last in the league in home runs last season with 66.