LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers have hired Isao O’Jimi as the team’s head scout in Japan.
He worked for the New York Mets from 1997-2011, starting as a scout before he was promoted to director of Pacific Rim scouting. O’Jimi was involved in the Mets’ signings of Masato Yoshii, Jae Seo, Jorge Toca, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, Satoru Komiyama, Kazuo Matsui, Dae-sung Koo, Timo Perez and Takashi Kashiwada.
O’Jimi started his career in baseball as a catcher in the Seibu Lions farm system from 1976-79, but never made it to Nippon Pro Baseball.
After retiring, he worked as an interpreter with various clubs, including the Chiba Lotte Marines, where he worked with then-manager Bobby Valentine.
