The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported late yesterday that Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami, widely regarded as the top free agent in this year’s thinner class of Japanese imports, has reached a preliminary agreement on a contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Though details are still forthcoming, and the contract is pending a physical, the AJC reports that the deal is for three years, and an official announcement should be forthcoming on Monday or Tuesday.

Kawakami is often compared to the Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda and the Orioles’ new signee, Koji Uehara, with whom he shares a friendly rivalry. He doesn’t have the Matsuzaka-like array of pitches that Uehara does, but Kawakami’s fastball has more zip on it (92 MPH), and his cutter has been called the best in Japanese baseball.

I’ll give a more detailed scouting report in an upcoming “Asian Futures” article, but Uehara’s fastball and cutter—pitches that translate better to the majors—are the reason he’s regarded as the best NPB free agent out there right now. That, and he played for the Chunichi Dragons, a team that hadn’t won a Japan Series title for more than fifty years before they won it all in 2007. (Uehara played for the Yomiuri Giants, the NPB equivalent of the New York Yankees: wealthy and consistently competitive).

Kawakami is extremely competitive, and while he lacks the pinpoint control of Uehara—he’s averaged 3.78 K/BB and 7.2 K/9IP in Japan, both lower than Uehara’s ungodly 7.5 K/BB and 8.0 K/9IP—that may translate to more success in MLB. The strike zones in Japan are wider and more subjective, and he won’t enjoy the kind of veteran’s leeway given to him in Japan (or given to Americans like Jamie Moyer or Tom Glavine).

Assuming he’s signed, Kawakami represents the Braves’ first Japanese acquisition, although an agreement with the Hanshin Tigers in 2006 has led to several players (like Chris Resop) being sold to the Tigers. Though Atlanta’s not known for its Asian population, it’s still substantial, and bringing in Kawakami is sure to draw more of those fans to Braves games.