The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly closing in on a deal that has fans calling the team’s new prospect the next Shohei Ohtani. The reality is more measured than the hype, but the upside is real.
According to baseball reporter Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, the Diamondbacks are in the final stages of negotiations with Korean two-way prospect Junsang Eom for the 2025-26 international signing period. Eom is just 17 years old, and he is one of the most intriguing teenage talents in the global market.
What makes Eom different is that he actually projects on both sides of the ball. He throws a fastball that already touches 95 mph with room to add velocity as he fills out. He also plays shortstop and brings what scouts have called an advanced contact bat and elite defense for his age. He was widely considered the second-best prospect in the upcoming KBO Draft before deciding to take his game to MLB.
Arizona is reportedly willing to spend over $1 million on the signing, which is a serious commitment for a teenager who has not played a professional inning in the States. It also tells you how confident the D-backs are in their evaluation.
The Ohtani comparisons are inevitable, and also probably unfair to Eom. Shohei is the most unique baseball player of the modern era, a true unicorn whose two-way success has no precedent. Eom is a long way from that, with years of development between him and the major leagues. Even getting close to Ohtani’s level would make him one of the best players in the sport.
The smarter framing is that Arizona is buying a lottery ticket on a player who, if he hits, could anchor the roster on both sides for a decade. Even if Eom ends up profiling as just a starting pitcher or just a starting shortstop, the value at $1 million is enormous. The D-backs are betting that the international market has gotten too crowded with risk-averse signings, and they are willing to take the swing.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
