Ishii, a 10-year veteran, is considered one of the best starting pitchers in Japan.
The 28-year-old left-hander has averaged better than a strikeout per inning during his Japanese League career. Ishii (6-foot, 187 pounds) throws a fastball in the mid-90s, a hard slider, curve and a split-finger fastball. He led the Central League in strikeouts twice and in ERA once. Ishii has a lifetime record of 79-46 (.632).
Ishii would become the 14th Japanese player to join the major leagues. His agent has said Ishii would prefer to play for a West Coast team. His wife, Ayako Kisa, a news anchor for Japan's Fuji TV, formerly lived in Los Angeles.