Former Chicago Cubs Flop calls Seiya Suzuki "one of the best all-round players" to come out of Japan

The Chicago Cubs have been burnt by signing a Japanese superstar before. Prior to inking outfielder Seiya Suzuki to an $85 million contract over five years, the Cubs brought another Japanese hope to Chicago. After being a perennial contender for the batting average crown in the Japanese League, Kosuke Fukudome exited the Nippon Professional Baseball League of Japan with a .351 batting average to go with 104 RBIs.

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Fukudome signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2008, on a contract that was four years in length for $48 million. He was the first-ever Japanese player to play for the Cubs, and got off to a stellar start. In his Chicago Cubs debut, Fukudome went 3 for 3 including a game-tying three-run homer off of legendary closer Eric Gagne. He was even elected to the National League All-Star starting lineup. However, after that he went on a horrible slump that ended in him finishing the season with a .370 slugging percentage.

Things never got on track for the Japanese star as he finished his Major League Baseball career with just 42 home runs over his MLB career, before returning to the Japanese league. He was largely considered a bust by most accounts.

During his return to the Japanese League, Fukudome came across many future Major League Baseball players, namely Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki. For Suzuki, Megan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune states that Fukudome feels he is going to live up to the expectations of the five-year $85 million contract awarded by the Cubs.

"I guarantee, you will love to see him play"

Fukudome believes that Suzuki is a true five-tool player, with no flaws in his game. He thinks that with the level of composure Suzuki brings to the game, he will find his way into the hearts of Chicago Cubs fans soon enough.

"He is one of the best all-around players I’ve ever seen,” Fukudome told the Chicago Tribune. “Not only he can hit balls with power, he can maintain hitting a high average. His defense is one of the best and has great speed as well. The one thing I really like about him is he is really a quick learner."

Suzuki carries the burden of great expectations for the Chicago Cubs in 2022.

Due to the size of his contract, he will constantly be compared to the Japanese stars that have succeeded, and failed, before him. Home runs and runs batted in will bring whispers of Shohei Ohtani. Good defense will draw comparisons to Ichiro Suzuki, one of the greatest Japanese players to play in the Major Leagues. However, strikeouts will produce grumbles of Fukudome. Time will tell if Suzuki will handle the pressure, but he's earned his opportunity to prove himself on the grandest of stages in Chicago on Opening Day and beyond.