Meet MLB’s top 3 Japanese free agents and where they might sign

If you’re unfamiliar with Tatsuya Imai, Munetaka Murakami, and Kazuma Okamoto, you now have a new reason to watch Japanese baseball games at 6 a.m. ET.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Thursday that the trio all hope to play in MLB next season, assuming that their respective Nippon Professional Baseball teams enter them in the posting system. Imai is an extremely talented right-handed pitcher, while Murakami and Okamoto are fearsome power hitters ready to come stateside and terrorize MLB pitching.

Although the Los Angeles Dodgers have stockpiled Japanese stars in recent years, don’t let that deter you from being foolishly optimistic. At least, not until the Dodgers find yet another way to hand out a contract exceeding $300 million, but hope springs eternal. You can’t rule out the thought of Imai wearing Dodger Blue until he’s posing for photos with Shohei Ohtani and Dave Roberts before Christmas.

All jokes aside, here is everything that you need to know about Tatsuya Imai, Munetaka Murakami, and Kazuma Okamoto ahead of their potential MLB arrivals.

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Tatsuya Imai, RHP, Saitama Seibu Lions

At 5-foot-11 and 154 pounds, Imai doesn’t quite have the frame you’d expect from any major-league player. However, he’s nonetheless tormented Pacific League opposition, tallying a sterling 1.50 ERA and a 159-37 K-BB ratio in 143 2/3 innings. Imai has already tossed five complete games, three being shutouts, and he’s only allowed four homers in 20 starts.

“With a vicious slider, a changeup, a splitter, a curveball, and a sinker he picked up this season, Imai has the sort of pitch mix that teams covet,” Passan wrote.

Passan shared that sources are divided on how much Imai could command on the open market, with one estimate going as high as $200 million. Others were more skeptical, and one of Passan’s sources even proposed an $80 million contract. Don’t be surprised to see the New York Yankees or San Diego Padres go all-in on trying to land Imai, especially given their history in attracting Japanese pitchers. 

Prediction: Imai signs with the Yankees or Padres.

Munetaka Murakami, 3B, Yakult Swallows

Given the context of the Central League’s hitting trends, Murakami’s power numbers read like putting a player’s skills up to 99 overall. Murakami averaged 37 home runs from 2019-24, including hitting a single-season record 56 in 2022. Only Kazuma Okamoto (30 in 2022 and 41 in 2023) joined him in hitting 30-plus homers during those final three seasons.

Murakami entered Thursday hitting .310 with 17 homers, 31 RBIs, and a 1.081 OPS over 177 plate appearances. Passan reported that New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns and Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller have each scouted Murakami in person. In fact, Preller was in attendance when Murakami hit three home runs last weekend.

Although the Philadelphia Phillies don’t have an extensive reputation for signing Japanese players, Murakami makes plenty of sense. Alec Bohm only has one year of team control left and, outside of last year’s All-Star season, is mostly a replacement-level player. Murakami certainly sounds worth the risk, even more so if Kyle Schwarber departs in free agency.

Prediction: Phillies should have interest in Murakami.

Kazuma Okamoto, 1B/3B, Yomiuri Giants

Okamoto turns 30 next June, which only looks bad when you realize he was born in 1996. We are all getting very, very old. 

Regardless, Okamoto remains a potent power hitter, one with 11 homers, 16 RBIs, and a .960 OPS through 222 plate appearances. Although he missed over three months with a left elbow injury, Okamoto has since returned to the Giants’ lineup and is healthy for the stretch run.

“He is regarded by evaluators as the biggest question mark to make the leap, and he’s in line for a shorter-term deal than the others,” Passan wrote, “but a contract for $50 million-plus is plenty realistic, especially with a September that proves his elbow healed.”

It’ll be interesting to see if teams view Okamoto as a traditional corner infielder or if they’d prioritize making him a designated hitter. The Boston Red Sox make plenty of sense either way, and Okamoto could immediately slot in at first base — a spot the Red Sox haven’t adequately filled since Triston Casas went down earlier this year.

Prediction: Okamoto and the Boston Red Sox are a great match.