Yusei Kikuchi pitches at Koshien Stadium during Japan's national high school baseball championships on Wednesday, August 12th.One year ago, Jim Colborn spearheaded a powerful effort on the part of the Texas Rangers to acquire then-22-year-old right-hander Junichi Tazawa, the buzz-inducing Japanese import who ultimately rejected a reported four-year, $7 million offer from the Rangers in favor of a lesser-valued deal with the Red Sox. Several weeks later, reports surfaced that Texas was preparing to extend a multi-year offer towards Koji Uehara, whose sturdy 2009 stateside debut with the Orioles was marred by season-ending elbow problems.

Since being designated the Rangers' director of Pacific Rim operations soon after his early-August 2008 dismissal from the post of bullpen coach, Colborn has established himself as an indispensable piece of the talent-identifying puzzle, utilizing his experiences, relationships and expansive knowledge of Japanese baseball in quickly molding Texas into a formidable Far East presence. And as fate would have it for Colborn, the third time just might be the charm.

Multiple sources have described the Rangers as being "interested" in 18-year-old Japanese left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, a relatively unknown talent who is nevertheless drawing considerable league-wide interest; indeed, no fewer than 10 teams have been linked with Kikuchi at one time or another, presaging a potential round of competitive seven-figure bidding that could knock cash-strapped Texas out of the conversation entirely. Why, then, should we divert our attention towards him? What makes him unique?

In addition to Colborn's attendance of Kikuchi's one-inning appearance for Hanamaki Higashi High School on Monday (during which he lit up the radar guns to the tune of 95 mph), Japanese newspaper Sponichi reported on Wednesday morning that team president Nolan Ryan "[had] also seen video footage of [Kikuchi] and is fully on board," with further quotes from Colborn suggesting that the Rangers are ready to immediately begin constructing an offer -- provided, of course, that Kikuchi bypasses this month's Japanese amateur draft, which he has not committed to doing just yet.

[According to Kikuchi's head coach, Hiroyuki Sasuga, the young hurler plans to file his letter of intent on October 5th and could begin talking to teams as early as the next day. Additionally, Sponichi is reporting that Kikuchi may not make a formal decision on his future until later this month, perhaps sometime after October 20th. The Japanese League's amateur draft is October 29th.]

Equipped with a streamlined 6' 0", 180-pound frame, Kikuchi brandishes an 87-92 mph fastball, curveball, slider and at least one other unidentified offering (I've seen assorted references to change-ups, screwballs and forkballs), all thrown from a three-quarters arm angle; Mets pro scout Brian Lamb lavished praise upon Kikuchi, calling him "amazing" and noting the "good control" he wields over his lower body:

[The preceding clip was shot during a Japanese high school tournament in July 2009; direct link available here. Skip to 3:01 for a special eephus pitch treat.]

By virtue of having dispatched scouts to watch Kikuchi as early as mid-May, it seems reasonable to surmise that the Rangers have a better handle on what he currently is and what he can eventually become than any other team in baseball -- a development which is not merely coincidental, but rather an extension of the great foundation-laying work Colborn has done in Asia. It just might be about ready to pay off.