The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are closing in on a precedent-setting deal with amateur pitcher Carter Stewart, a No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball's 2018 draft, a source knowledgeable of the negotiation said Wednesday.
If the 19-year-old Stewart signs with SoftBank, he will be the first marquee American amateur to turn pro in Nippon Professional Baseball.
According to the source, the Hawks are looking at the acquisition as a long-term project with a chance he might play his entire career in Japan, while leaving some flexibility for both parties.