Carter Stewart Jr., former top-10 pick and potential trailblazer, makes Nippon Professional Baseball

Carter Stewart Jr., the eighth overall pick in Major League Baseball’s 2018 draft who opted instead to sign with Japan’s Fukuoka Softbank Hawks, made his Nippon Professional Baseball big-league debut on Saturday. Stewart had previously been limited to pitching for the Softbank Hawks’ minor-league team in the Western League.
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Stewart, 21, has the potential to become a trailblazer for American amateurs looking to make more money upfront without damaging their long-term MLB aspirations. Stewart is believed to have signed with the Softbank Hawks for around $7 million, or $5 million more than the Atlanta Braves were willing to offer him after discovering a wrist ailment in his post-draft physical.