Munetaka

Murakami

Murakami is a power-hitting 24-year-old from Japan who is likely to join an MLB team in 2026. Kay believes that the Yankees’ one-year contract with Paul Goldschmidt is a stopgap measure until they can land Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Murakami in the off-season. At 6'2" and 215 pounds, Murakami has the frame to hit for power in MLB games and did hit 56 home runs with a .318/.458/.711 slash line as a 22-year-old in 2022. He has failed to match those numbers since, but he did hit 33 home runs with a .472 slugging percentage in 2024, so the power remains. How he does in 2025 will determine just how much money he’s set to make when he comes stateside in 2026.

Murakami has been a brilliant player for the Yakult Swallows, particularly in hitting .318/.458/.711 with 56 homers as a 22-year-old in 2022, but his last two seasons have been rather disappointing. In 2024, he hit .244/.379/.472 with 33 homers and 180 strikeouts in 610 plate appearances. That 851 OPS was still 206 points better than the Central League’s .645 mark on the whole, but it definitely didn’t meet expectations. Also, while Murakami has mostly played third in Japan, he’ll likely be viewed by major league teams as a first baseman. He still should set off quite a bidding war — since he’s coming over at age 26, he’ll be able to make most of his true worth in the posting system — but how he performs next season will determine whether he’s treated as one of the best corner infield free agents of all-time or just a quality regular.

After the United States took a 1-0 lead on Trea Turner’s solo homer in the top half of the second inning, Murakami answered immediately -- crushing the first pitch that Merrill Kelly threw in the second inning for a 432-foot blast to tie the game. It was his only hit in four at-bats on the night, but it was certainly a big one. For the tournament, he hit .240 with one homer and six RBI.

The 22-year-old slugger signed a three-year contract with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball with the stipulation that he would be posted for MLB teams following the 2025 season. Murakami is coming off an outstanding 2022 season in which he slashed an absurd .318/.458/.711 with 56 homers, 134 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 612 plate appearances. He’s going to be able to demand a King’s ransom -- and will likely set a record for the largest contract ever given to a Japanese position player coming to MLB -- once the 2025 off-season arrives. For now, MLB executives will have to watch a Murakami puts his talents on full display at the World Baseball Classic in March.