The Pacific Pipeline: Japan and Korea Send Their Best Players to the Show

Munetaka Murakami celebrates a huge hit for Team Japan, CCed by Liscense 2.0

Kazuma Okamoto 1B/3B Yomiuri Giants (29)

All time NPB stats (8 Seasons)

AVG: .277 (.309 in 2018)

HR: 248 (41 in 2023)

OBP: .361 (.394 in 2018)

SO Rate: 17.71% (132 in 2019)

As a former member of the 2023 Japan WBC championship team, Kazuma Okamoto is a player that teams have been keeping an eye on since his 2023 WBC appearance. He was just recently posted and has a 45-day window to sign with an MLB team. In the NPB, he was a primary third baseman with the ability to play first base and corner outfield positions. Okamoto is currently 29 years old, which is older than most players from Japan who make their debut. However, that is a two-sided coin, and teams are very excited about the experience he already has.

There are a multitude of teams interested in signing him, including the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, and I would also expect the Cubs and Padres to throw their hats in the ring as well. The reason Okamoto is on everyone’s radar is his contact and power tools. Okamoto does not strike out at a high rate, and is very disciplined at the plate. However, some people within the MLB believe he has already reached his potential and will not improve much when he comes to the league. Essentially, you are paying for what you have in front of you, not for what he could be, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Teams looking for a proven player will pay similar to what Seiya Suzuki received, who was signed for a deal of $64 million over 4 years a couple of years ago. Okamoto is not as risky an investment as Munetaka Murakami is, but both struggle with fastballs above 93 mph.

The team that signs him will get him a ton of reps during Spring Training this year. I personally think Okamoto is going to be the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox second option behind Murakami, but if they miss out on him, I expect them to pivot to Okamoto. My dark horse in this race to sign Okamoto is the Chicago Cubs, mainly because it appears they are not going to re-sign Kyle Tucker. Okamoto is affordable, and as long as he can hit the heater above 93 mph, he should have success in the show. I would love to see him with the Cubs and I think if cards go their way they will get it done.

Munetaka Murakami 1B/3B Yakult Swallows (26)

All time NPB stats (8 seasons)

AVG: .270 (.318 in 2022)

HR: 246 (56 in 2022)

OBP: .394 (.458 IN 2022)

SO Rate: 25.85% (184 K’s in 2019)

Munetaka Murakami has been in the media since his WBC appearance with Japan in 2023, and he too was just posted and has less than 45 days to sign with an MLB team. There are a ton of teams that would love to get him to put pen to paper sooner rather than later. By the time spring training starts, he will be 26, which is a little bit older than when Shohei Ohtani debuted. There is a lot to like about him as a player. In Japan, he primarily played first and third base, but I expect him to also DH for whatever team signs him.

His power and ability to get on base are a big part of why he is being looked at as one of the top free agents in all of baseball this year. His best year in the NPB was 2022, where in 141 games, he had an AVG. of .318, hitting 56 home runs, and posting an OBP of .458. The biggest area of concern for teams is his strikeout rate and ability to transfer his success from the NPB to the MLB. In 8 seasons in the NPB, Murakami’s strikeout rate was 25.85%, with his worst year coming in 2019, when it reached 31.03%. One of the biggest key differences between the MLB and NPB that Murakami will have to face is the jump in velocity. The average MLB fastball is about 94 mph, while the average fastball in the NPB is 91 mph. Most of the big-name pitchers in the MLB all have fastballs sitting above 95 and into the upper 90s. If Murakami cannot catch up to the fastball, it would not surprise me if we see him spend a stint in the minor leagues, allowing the game to slow down for him.

A ton of teams are expected to pursue him, most notably the Yankees, Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, and Red Sox. These teams all have the money to pay what is expected to be anywhere from $130 to $200 million over the next five plus years. These teams, like the Yankees, Mets, and Mariners, all have a hole at first base that he could fill. The Dodgers can adjust their lineup and make it work, but I think the Red Sox will have a hard time integrating him with a plethora of high-level prospects waiting to play.  I think the Dodgers or Mets will sign him, but the Mariners are definitely a dark horse in the race to sign him.

Tatsuya Imai RHP Saitama Seibu Lions (27)

All-time NPB stats (8 seasons)

IP: 963.2 (173.1 in 2024)

ERA: 3.15 (1.92 in 2025)

W-L: 58 - 45 (10 – 5 in 2025)

SO Rate: 22.31% (187 in 2024)

HR allowed: 75 (6 in 2025)

Tatsuya Imai is someone I am personally very excited about. He is the best pitcher that has been posted during this offseason’s cycle, and is in prime position to cash in with his best two years of pitching coming in 2024 and 2025. He showed a ton of growth leading up to his posting, which increased his value in contract negotiations. He is projected to be a middle to top of the rotation starter for the team he signs with. Imai possesses an arsenal headlined by a fastball sitting around 95, along with a slider, curveball, changeup, splitter, and vulcan change. I imagine that when he pitches in the MLB, he would throw only one version of his change-up, not both.

He spoke to the media and essentially confirmed that everyone’s worst nightmare would not happen and he would not be signing with the Dodgers. I expect the Mets, Yankees, Padres, Orioles, and possibly the Diamondbacks to take a swing and try to sign him this off-season. He stated that he wants to compete for a World Series, so he is definitely looking to sign with a contender. His biggest weakness in the past has been his control, but he has managed to fix it in 2024 and 2025, posting BB/9 of 3.6 and 2.5, respectively. He is expected to receive around $150-$160 million over 6-7 years. I fully expect him to go to one of the New York teams, but I would prefer him to sign with the Mets and pair with Kodai Senga. He could be just what the Mets need to get over the hump and make it to the World Series. 

Sung-Mun Song 3B/2B Kiwoom Heroes (29)

All time KBO stats (9 seasons)

AVG: .283 (.340 in 2024)

OBP: .347 (.409 in 2024)

HR: 80 (26 in 2025)

SO Rate: 13.72% (96 in 2025)

Sung-Mun Song is a left-handed hitting infielder who has been posted from the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO, coming off the best season of his career in 2025. Early in his career, his biggest issues were plate discipline and consistency at the plate, as he struggled to get on base at a high clip. We have seen an adjustment over the last 2 seasons, and he is getting on base at a much higher clip, but he is also striking out more. His higher strikeout numbers could be attributed to him receiving more plate appearances over the last 2 seasons or it could be his previous struggles of chasing outside of the zone and an upward swing path coming to light. His strongest attribute is his extra-base hitting ability. This is seen in his slugging percentage, which sat at .530 over this past season.

I would expect him to thrive in a hitter-friendly ballpark. Teams like the Dodgers, Angels, Astros, Reds, and Padres are teams I could see a potential fit with. The combination of his ability to play everywhere in the infield except shortstop makes him an interesting candidate for these teams, since all of them have shortstops. I like the fit with the Angels for Song to play third base, a big piece that they are missing. If the Angels want to spend more on pitching, they could get Song for around 12.5 million over multiple years which is on the cheaper side of free agency. They may not have the money to get people like Bo Bichette or Alex Bregman, and are likely not at the top of the list to get Munetaka Murakami, but Song could be much more in their affordable range of spending. I am excited to see him play and see what he can do in the MLB.

Kona Takahashi RHP Saitama Seibu Lions (29)

All-time NPB stats (11 seasons)

IP: 1199 (175.2 in 2022)

ERA: 3.39 (2.20 in 2022)

W-L: 73-77 (12 – 8 in 2022)

SO Rate: 17.17% (128 in 2022)

HR allowed: 95 (8 in 2023)

Kona Takahashi is another name to watch for this off-season after finally making the move from Japan to the USA for this upcoming season. His top seasons in the NPB came in 2022 and 2023. I expect him to be a backend starter or a long relief candidate out of the bullpen during his tenure in the majors. His most significant issue is giving too many free passes to opposing hitters. His strikeout to walk ratio for his 11 seasons in the NPB is 2.06, where the MLB average is closer to 3, and that of ace pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Tarik Skubal, is around 7.5. If he can get his command under control, he could be an extremely underrated signing. I could see him fitting on teams like the Angels, Rays, Guardians, Twins, and possibly the Rangers. He is expected to receive a smaller 7 to 8-figure deal over 2-3 years.