NEW YORK (Kyodo) -- Right-handed side-armer Koyo Aoyagi has signed a minor league contract as a non-roster spring-training invitee with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Major League Baseball club said Friday.

The Central League's Hanshin Tigers, who posted the 31-year-old in December after nine seasons, would have retained Aoyagi if he had not concluded a deal with an MLB team prior to 5 p.m. Friday in New York, when his 45-day posting window was to expire.

"I think it will be a tough fight, but it would be great if I can compete while testing myself against new challenges," Aoyagi told reporters from where he was working out in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan.

Phillies assistant general manager Jorge Velandia said, according to MLB.com, "We like him for his uniqueness. You don't see many guys from the sidearm angle."

Hanshin's fifth-round draft pick in 2015, Aoyagi led the CL in both 2021 and 2022 with 13 wins. He went 8-6 with a 4.57 ERA in 2023 and 2-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 2024.

Aoyagi, who is 61-47 with a 3.08 ERA in Nippon Professional Baseball, won a gold medal with Japan in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics.