The Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball have signed former Giants right-hander Sean Hjelle, who chose minor league free agency this offseason. A second-round pick in 2018 and one of the tallest players in MLB history at 6’11”, Hjelle has a 56% ground-ball rate over four seasons, primarily using a sinker, knuckle-curve, and cutter. After a challenging 2023 season with the Giants, he excelled in the minors, posting a 3.06 ERA in 67 2/3 innings. Hjelle’s move to Japan offers him a chance to rebuild as a starting pitcher.
