Here's why a Japanese slugger is one of the most intriguing free agents

November 7th, 2025

A year ago, when the news first broke that Munetaka Murakami was likely headed to the Major Leagues in 2026, the Japanese slugger was one of the great enigmas of the baseball world.

Murakami had Ruthian power … and Joey Gallo-esque strikeout problems. He had superstar upside, and one of the greatest hitting seasons in history under his belt -- Murakami's 2022 season in Nippon Professional Baseball, when he hit 56 home runs and won a batting Triple Crown. But he was striking out more and more, and even though he kept crushing homers, he hadn't replicated the all-around hitting success of that historic season in the two seasons after.

Fast-forward a year. Murakami is coming. The 25-year-old lefty slugger will be posted by his NPB club, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, on Friday. And Murakami is still the same enigma. Projecting the type of hitter he'll be in the Majors is anything but easy -- but the high end of those projections is tantalizing.

Here's what makes Murakami so exciting as the next potential international MLB star -- and the big question he'll have to answer if that's what he's going to become.

First things first: Murakami's power is still enormous.

Murakami was limited to just 56 games in 2025 due to an oblique injury, but he provided plenty of big swings after he came back.

Once Murakami got back in the Swallows lineup, he went on a tear. He hit 22 home runs in his 56 games, which is an even higher home run pace than his 56 homers in 141 games in 2022.

Murakami finished in the top five in NPB in homers … despite barely playing a third of the games as the only hitters in front of him on the leaderboard. So he's still got the pop.

In 2025, Murakami was more than twice as good as the average NPB hitter, with a 208 wRC+ that was reminiscent of his 2022 season. He once again excelled at crushing fly balls and has tons of pull power, which is how plenty of MLB sluggers, like Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber, get their home runs. Murakami is a highly feared hitter, whose prodigious power also helps him draw tons of walks.






And that respect from pitchers is deserved. Like some of those big lefty sluggers in the Majors, Murakami can reach the upper echelons of exit velocity. He definitely stacks up with the hardest hitters in MLB.

Murakami's max exit velocity during the 2025 season was 116.5 mph, according to NPB tracking data newly provided in the league's NPB+ app. That's harder than most MLB sluggers ever hit the ball.

NPB 2025 max exit velocities of notable players (via NPB+)

Richard Sunagawa: 119.2 mph
Seiya Hosokawa: 117.0
Munetaka Murakami: 116.5
Teruaki Sato: 116.0
Chusei Mannami: 114.3
Kenta Bright: 114.3
Shugo Maki: 114.0
Kazuma Okamoto: 112.2
Shota Morishita: 111.6

Murakami's swing-and-miss and K numbers by season
Per DeltaGraphs

2022: 31.7% whiff rate, 20.9% strikeout rate
2023: 34.3% whiff rate, 28.1% strikeout rate
2024: 37.3% whiff rate, 29.5% strikeout rate
2025: 36.7% whiff rate, 28.6% strikeout rate

Such a high swing-and-miss rate and strikeout rate in Japan is not good -- when NPB sluggers come to MLB, their contact numbers already tend to get worse. And Murakami's whiff rate and K% would have both been among the highest in MLB in 2025.

As Yuri Karasawa noted in a thorough breakdown of Murakami over at JapanBall, Murakami's contact rate on pitches in the strike zone in 2025 was just 72.6%, down from 77.1% in 2022. In MLB, the average in-zone contact rate is 82.5%.ow high his ceiling is as a power hitter. The harder you can hit the ball, the better your outcomes can be as a batter.

Hitting the ball extremely hard is a skill. Hitting the ball as Murakami can is a rare skill.

In 2025, only 23 MLB hitters hit even one ball 116 mph or harder. And only nine left-handed hitters did it, a list headlined by Oneil Cruz, James Wood, Schwarber, Elly De La Cruz and, of course, Shohei Ohtani.

Murakami's 116.5 mph max exit velo this season is also in line with the numbers we saw from him during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, when he played in front of Statcast tracking systems.







His hardest-hit ball tracked in the tournament was a 115.1 mph home run off Merrill Kelly in Japan's win over the U.S. in the championship game. This year in MLB, only 19 players hit a home run 115 mph or harder. The nine of those who are lefties include Ohtani, Cruz, Schwarber, Wood, De La Cruz and Juan Soto.

Murakami looks like he could also have the high bat speeds to produce those hard-hit balls regularly. Also per the NPB+ app, his max bat speed in 2025 was 85.7 mph. For reference, Statcast's "fast swing" threshold for bat speed is 75-plus mph, and the only MLB hitter who averages a bat speed of 80-plus mph is Giancarlo Stanton.

NPB 2025 max bat speed of notable players (via NPB+)

Shota Morishita 88.0 mph
Seiya Watanabe 88.0
Teruaki Sato: 87.7
Seiya Hosokawa: 87.4
Kenta Bright: 87.4
Chusei Mannami: 86.6
Munetaka Murakami: 85.7
Shugo Maki: 85.5
Richard Sunagawa: 85.1
Kazuma Okamoto: 84.2

Now, there's not much real insight to be gained just from Murakami's highest individual swing speed, as plenty of hitters can generate those high bat speeds by taking an all-out hack once in a while. It's more just a teaser. We don't have an average bat speed number for Murakami yet. But we can hope that given Murakami's exit velocity and power production that results from his swings, he will have the bat speed to match.

But the big question: Can Murakami get his K's down?

If Murakami were jumping to the Major Leagues after his 2022 season, this wouldn't be so urgent a question. While his strikeout numbers were still relatively high for NPB -- a lower-strikeout league than MLB -- they were a lot lower than they are now.

Murakami's K's have ballooned in the three seasons since his record-setting year. That resulted in a dip in production at the plate in 2023 and '24 (Murakami was still very good as a hitter, just not historically good), and even stayed true in 2025, when his offensive numbers rebounded.

Those underlying numbers -- high swing-and-miss, high strikeouts, low contact -- are the No. 1 concern with Murakami as an MLB hitter.

Murakami's swing-and-miss and K numbers by season
Per DeltaGraphs

2022: 31.7% whiff rate, 20.9% strikeout rate
2023: 34.3% whiff rate, 28.1% strikeout rate
2024: 37.3% whiff rate, 29.5% strikeout rate
2025: 36.7% whiff rate, 28.6% strikeout rate
Such a high swing-and-miss rate and strikeout rate in Japan is not good -- when NPB sluggers come to MLB, their contact numbers already tend to get worse. And Murakami's whiff rate and K% would have both been among the highest in MLB in 2025.

As Yuri Karasawa noted in a thorough breakdown of Murakami over at JapanBall, Murakami's contact rate on pitches in the strike zone in 2025 was just 72.6%, down from 77.1% in 2022. In MLB, the average in-zone contact rate is 82.5%.

In the Major Leagues, even elite high-power, high-strikeout sluggers like Aaron Judge, Ohtani and Schwarber will keep their in-zone contact rates above 75%. Only a few star sluggers like Rafael Devers and Nick Kurtz dipped below that threshold in 2025. And again, the NPB-to-MLB move has a tendency to bring those contact rates down.

Other Japanese sluggers like Seiya Suzuki have had much higher contact rates when they came to MLB. But Karasawa did note one interesting comparison who was more in line with Murakami: a young Ohtani, who had similar high hard-hit rates and contact metrics to Murakami when he joined the Angels in the 2017-18 offseason at age 22.

But there's risk for Murakami. High velocity, as well as secondary pitches -- especially breaking pitches from left-handed pitchers and offspeed pitches from right-handed pitchers -- posed problems for Murakami. Again, that doesn't bode particularly well for batting in MLB, where high-velocity fastballs are more prevalent and wipeout breaking and offspeed pitches are heavily used.

This season, Murakami swung at missed at nearly half of the offspeed pitches he swung at vs. righties, and nearly two thirds of the breaking pitches he swung at vs. lefties, per data from the handy NPB Batter Profile app. He'll have to work on making more contact against those secondary pitches in MLB.






So Murakami's No. 1 goal when he arrives in MLB will have to be improving his contact ability while maintaining his elite power.

If he does that, he will be a star slugger in the Majors. His bat is just that dangerous.

As others have noted, Murakami could be a Matt Olson type, or a Devers, or a Wood or Riley Greene -- players for whom the strikeouts-for-home-run-power tradeoff is worth it in a big way.

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Not surprised Espino was "shut down". He got in a few innings, looked good, and the AFL season is nearly over . I'll be optimistic.

Cleveland Guardians Offseason Prospect Report 11/12-14/25

AFL Season wraps up; Angel Martinez makes winter ball debut

Matthew Kennell and Arthur Kinney

Nov 15, 2025

Joe Lampe (RF, Surprise - Thursday): 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB, 1 Outfield Assist - Despite going hitless, Lampe played a huge role in the Saguaros advancement to the title game with a trio of key moments. The first came in the top of the sixth when he started a 9-6-2 play that kept a game-tying two-run single from becoming a go-ahead bases-clearer (more on this play later). The other two came in the bottom of the ninth, which saw Joe draw a one-out walk and subsequently steal second to get into scoring position to be driven in by Blake Mitchell’s game-winning hit.

Trenton Denholm (SP, Surprise - Thursday): 4 IP, 1 BB, 2 K - Denholm wrapped up his 2025 in grand fashion with this stellar start in which he came within a walk of pitching a quartet of perfect frames.

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Matt Jachec (RP, Surprise - Thursday): BS, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB - About that hit I mentioned earlier…yeah, that was Jachec. While his introduction to the contest was rough, to say the least, Matt pitched a solid seventh after getting his bacon saved by Lampe.

Juan Benjamin (3B, Surprise - Friday): 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB - There may not be much that people remember about Benjamin’s 2025 fall efforts, but his lone hit in the title tilt will certainly be one of them, as it gave the Saguaros a lead they would not relinquish. Fun Fact: There was a Northeast Ohio connection on the other end of Juan’s ultimately game-winning two-run single as the pitch was thrown by former Lake Erie Crusher and current Reds prospect Trevor Kuncl.

Joe Lampe (starting RF, Surprise - Friday): 0-2, 2 K - Lampe’s impressive autumnal campaign, on the other hand, ended in ignominious fashion, with Joe being pulled for a defensive replacement to start the sixth frame after striking out in both of his plate appearances.

Gabriel Arias (DH, La Guaira - Wednesday): 0-for-1, R, 3 BBs, SB - The Major Leaguer Arias displayed poise against a pitching staff that did not have their best stuff. He reached base in three of his four plate appearances, all on walks - but Arias is fairing best of all the Major League names on the Tiburones roster.

Gabriel Arias (SS, La Guaira - Friday): 0-3, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K - For the second straight game, Arias scored a run in a hitless multi-walk effort, bringing his free pass total for the week to six over the course of three games.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Thursday): L (0-1), BS (2), 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R (3 earned), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR allowed - A pair of blown saves in his first three outings is not the start Hernandez envisioned to his LVBP season. Hopefully, this is a blip and not a preview of what we’ll see from him in Goodyear come February.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Wednesday): 1-for-5, R - Genao had a pair of opportunities with runners in scoring position on Wednesday but grounded out in the fourth and struck out in the seventh. Genao’s lone hit of the night came on a single on the infield in front of a homerun in the fifth. The consistency from the 21-year-old has seen him move up to the heart of the order with a .327 batting average.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Thursday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 K - Genao scored (along with former Guardian farmhand Raynel Delgado) on Ezequiel Duran’s fourth inning double that gave the Aguilas their first lead of the game.

Angel Martinez (CF, Estrellas - Thursday): 0-4, 4 K - Nowhere to go but up for Martinez after he opened his Dominican campaign with golden sombrero.

Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Wednesday): 2-for-5, 3 RBIs - The highlight of the day for Guardians players in the winter leagues was Rodriguez in Puerto Rico. The 26-year-old drove in the game-tying run in the top of the sixth with an RBI single to center field and then a line drive to right plated two in the midst of a four-run seventh. That lead would not hold and the Carolina squad suffered their first loss of the season, but Rodriguez was the definite bright spot for the team.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Thursday): 0-4, 2 K, 1 Outfield Assist - Rodriguez didn’t hit well on Thursday but, to be fair, none of the Gigantes were. Heck, none of the Indios were, either. They just happened to be the team to hit a home run first.

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Cleveland Guardians Offseason Prospect Report 11/15-22/25

Weekly recap on the Guardians players in Winter Leagues

Matthew Kennell, Arthur Kinney, and Justin Lada

Nov 23

Guardians Prospects

Angel Genao (Backup SS, LIDOM All-Stars - Saturday): 0-0, 1 R, 1 BB - Genao, who entered the game in the bottom of the seventh, scored the final run of the day at Citi Field after walking in his only plate appearance in the top of the ninth.

Gabriel Arias (SS, La Guaira - Saturday): 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 E - Arias’ line-drive single to right in the top of the first got the scoring started in Puerto La Cruz on Saturday.

Gabriel Arias (DH, La Guaira - Sunday): 2-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBIs - Arias drove in runs in two different plate appearances with an RBI single in the second and lead-off homerun in the fifth. The longball is his third of the LVBP season and he now has 13 RBIs. In three of his four at-bats, Arias had runners in scoring position but struck out in two of those three tries.

Jaison Chourio (PH, Zulia - Sunday): 0-for-1 - Chourio stepped in as a pinch hitter in the midst of a tie game in the bottom of the seventh but struck out to lead off the inning. The team would load the bases later on but did not scratch across the go-ahead run. Chourio pinch hit for the catcher spot and was removed for the need defensively.

Angel Martinez (CF-RF, Estrellas - Monday): 1-3, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP - Martinez rebounded from a golden sombrero-marred LIDOM season debut by reaching thrice in a two-run effort.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Monday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K - Genao extended his hit streak to four games with his third straight one-hit performance.

Jaison Chourio (backup CF, Zulia - Monday): 1-4, 1 BB - Chourio, who entered the game after starting RF Yonathan Perlaza left the game in the second with an injury (starting CF Simon Muzziotti moved to RF), made the most of his unexpected playing time, reaching safely multiple times for the third straight game in which he had multiple plate appearances.

Angel Genao (starting SS, Aguilas - Tuesday): 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 S, 1 SB - Genao was productive in all four of his plate appearances and stole his fourth base of the Dominican campaign before being pulled late in the Cibao side’s blowout victory.

Angel Martinez (CF, Estrellas - Tuesday): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI - Martinez’s 365-foot homer (97.4 MPH exit velo) in the bottom of the eighth was all that kept the Estrellas from being shut out on Tuesday night.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Tuesday): 3-6, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB - After coming in as an injury replacement on Monday, Chourio got the start on Tuesday and responded with hsi first three-hit game of the Venezuelan season.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - G1 Tuesday): BS (3), 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 1 BB, 1 K - the blown saves just keep coming for Hernandez in Venezuela, with this one sending the opener of Tuesday’s twi-night doubleheader into extras.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Tuesday): 0-5, 2 K - Not Rodriguez’s best night of the season, to say the least.

Angel Martinez (CF-RF, Estrellas - Wednesday): 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB, CS - It was an eventful day for Martinez at the plate, on the basepaths and in the outfield on Wednesday. He led off the second inning with a walk and then was safe at second base trying to steal thanks to an error. He later came around to score as an unearned run and later doubled to begin the fourth inning. He spent the first seven innings in center field and then was moved to right during a defensive adjustment.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Wednesday): 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI - Rodriguez was moved all the way up to the number two spot in the batting order on Wednesday and continued to excel at the plate. Rodriguez had multiple hits and showed that yesterday’s 0-for-5 effort is not the norm. Rodriguez is batting .324 with an .872 OPS in eight games, the eighth-best mark in the LBPRC thus far.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Aguilas - Thursday): 3-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB, 1 E - Chourio followed up his three-hit Tuesday with another trio of singles on Thursday. Speaking of singles, the lack of extra-base hits (one double and one homer, neither of theme coming after October 26) is a bit of a concern.

Johnathan Rodriguez (starting RF, Thursday): 1-1, 2 BB - J-Rod reached safely in all three plate appearances on Thursday before being pinch-hit for in the seventh frame of a blowout loss.

Angel Genao (SS, Águilas - Friday G1): 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K - Genao has reached safely in 14 straight games with multiple plate appearances after extending his hit streak to six games in the opener of last night’s twin bill.

Angel Martinez (RF, Estrellas - Friday G1): 0-5, 3 K - Martinez’s disastrous Game 1 was reminiscent of his LIDOM season debut (4 Ks in as many PAs).

Angel Martinez (starting CF, Estrellas - Friday G2): 0-1, 1 R, 2 HBP - Martinez was pulled from the game for a defensive replacement in the fifth frame. While the reason for his removal is unknown, it is concerning that he was plunked twice in the first four frames of the contest.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Friday): 0-4, 1 BB, 1 Outfield Assist, 1 E - Chourio’s hot streak came to a screeching halt on Friday night with his first hitless game in five days.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Friday): S (2), 1 IP, 1 BB - Hernandez’s season of extremes continues in Venezuela with two saves and three blown saves in his first five outings of the LVBP campaign.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Friday): 0-4, 1 R, 1 BB - Rodriguez maintained his Thursday momentum in the first, walking and later scoring, but posted an 0-fer the rest of the night.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Saturday): 1-4, K, 2B - Despite his relative lack of power this winter, Genao is having a good campaign hitting .338/.385/.380 in 23 games.

Angel Martinez (DH, Orientales - Saturday): 0-4, BB, SB - Martinez continues to have a slow winter league though he’ll probably come to camp as a roster lock.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Aguilas - Saturday): 1-5, RBi, 2K - Like Genao, Chourio is playing well in the winter leagues albeit without power. His 12 K/10 BB ratio in 18 games feels very passive, but pitching hi this league probably isn’t good enough out there to expose it.

Johnathan Rodriguez (DH, Carolina): 0-2, K - Rodriguez’s OPS in Puerto Rico is hovering around the 700s with four extra base hits. Nothing too impressive for someone who should be able to dominate this league the way he does in Triple-A.

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Next Year in Cleveland

Cleveland Guardians Offseason Prospect Report 11/23-25/25

Genao stays steady in Dominican, Chourio delivers walkoff in Venezuela

Matthew Kennell and Arthur Kinney
Nov 26


Guardians Prospects:

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas): 1.0 IP, H, R, 0 BBs, K - Hernandez surrendered a solo homerun that doubled the Tiburones’ lead from one to two but was effective aside from one bad pitch. He threw nine total pitches, seven of them for strikes in the loss.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Sunday): 1-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB - Chourio reached base twice in the game and scored on both instances. He drew a walk as the first batter of the contest and later scored and then recorded a double in the second inning to spark a two-out rally for a run. Along with serving as the leadoff hitter in the first, he was also the first batter to step into the box in the fourth and seventh but did not find the same success with a strikeout and flyout in those plate appearances.

Angel Martinez (CF, Estrellas - Sunday): 1-for-4 - Just one hit for Martinez on the day, a one-out liner to right in the sixth inning, as he struggles to find his footing in LIDOM.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Sunday): 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs, BB - Rodriguez was the Guardians highlight of the day on Sunday with a 3-for-4 effort that featured a two-run double that gave his team the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. He added singles in the seventh and ninth innings, but neither resulted in a run scored. He has done an exceptional job after he moved up to the number two batter in the Carolina lineup.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Sunday): 0-for-4 - It was an unsuccessful debut in the Mexican League for the 24-year-old Milan Tolentino with a hitless day, but we look forward to seeing what he can do moving forward this winter for Hermosillo.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Monday): 0-2, 1 R, 2 BB - Even on a hitless night, Genao still produces.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Tuesday): 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E - Genao resumed normal service with a two-run go-ahead single in the second after seeing a seven-game hit streak end on Monday. Speaking of streaks, Genao has reached safely in 16 straight games in which he has multiple plate appearances.

Angel Martinez (CF, Estrellas - Tuesday): 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB - Martinez reached thrice for the first time this season on Tuesday thanks to his first multi-walk performance of the Dominican campaign. Next goal: a multi-hit LIDOM effort.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Tuesday): 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 1 SB - While Chourio did extend his on-base streak in games wit multiple plate appearances to nine with leadoff single in the bottom of the first, his most notable contribution came on the other end of the game in the form of a walk-off sac fly.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Tuesday): H (1), 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K - Hernandez pitched in a setup role for the first time this season and, while not a thing of beauty, his effort was enough to earn him his first hold of the Venezuelan campaign.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Tuesday): 0-4, 2 K - Another case of J-Rod participating in a general offensive malaise on the part of the Gigantes.

Milan Tolentino (SS, Hermosillo - Tuesday): 0-3, 1 BB, 2 K - At least Tolentino got on base on Tuesday.

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Welbyn Francisca debuted at shortstop for the Toros in the Dominican Winter League and went 1-2 with a single.

Angel Genao went 1 for 3 with a double for the Aguilas.

Angel Martinez went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk for the Estrellas.

Prospect Report 11/26-12/1/25
Bi-weekly update on Guardians prospects in off-season leagues: Angel Genao, Jaison Chourio and others
Matthew Kennell and Arthur Kinney

Guardians Prospects:
Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Wednesday): 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 BBs - The 20-year-old switch-hitting outfielder for the Guardians slugged his second homerun of the LVBP season, a mark that matches his total from 79 games in High-A Lake County this past summer. Chourio also reached base two more times in the loss, both on walks. His .382 on-base percentage is 21st in the league.

Angel Martinez (CF, Estrellas - Wednesday): 0-for-3 - Unfortunately, Martinez has still not found his footing at the plate in a hitless effort where he was relieved in the bottom of the sixth. Martinez is batting .161, the second-lowest average on the team among everyday players.

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Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Carolina - Wednesday): 0-for-4 - Rodriguez was without a hit as well on Wednesday on a night where the entirety of the Carolina offense failed to get off the ground. The top four in the lineup were a combined 0-for-17 at the dish.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Wednesday): 1-for-3, R, 3B, BB - A one-out triple from Tolentino in the top of the sixth set up the Guardians prospect to score the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly later in the inning. It is his first hit of the LMP thus far (1-for-10 in three games).

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Thursday): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 1 K - Hernandez got the Leones out of a jam in the eighth, but coming iut fir a second inning for the first time this season proved to be too much and saw the Ghost of Blown Saves Past rear his ugly head again.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Thursday): 1-5, 1 R, 2 K - Chourio continued his recent pattern (last five games) of alternating a single and an extra-base hit for his lone hit of the game.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Thursday): 0-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K - Tolentino’s early-season struggles with the bat continued on Thursday but were mitigated by a pair of walks.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Friday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B - Genao scored for the third straight game as yet another one-hot outing was marked by his fourth double of the LIDOM campaign.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Friday): 2-4, 1 K - Chourio’s multi-hit effort from the leadoff spot was one of the few highlights of an ugly night for the Venezuelan Aguilas.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF-LF, Carolina - Friday): 1-4, 1 K, 1 SB - Rodriguez stole his first base of the Puerto Rican season on Friday night.

Milan Tolentino (2B-SS, Hermosillo - Friday): 0-1, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 K - Tolentino took the walk-centricity of his LMP season so far to another level on Friday with a pair of tallies on a trio of free passes.

Angel Genao (SS, Aguilas - Saturday): 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K, 1 E - Genao doubled again on Saturday, doing so in back-to-back games for the first time in this Dominican season.

Angel Martinez (LF-CF, Estrellas - Saturday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Martinez closed out the day’s scoring with a two-run line drive double to right in the top of the ninth.

Welbyn Francisca (starting SS, Toros): 1-2 - Francisca played seven innings in the field in his first game action since August 24, two days before he began a season-ending stint on the Hillcats’ 7-day IL.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Saturday): 2-4, 1 K - Chourio made it back-to-back multi-hit nights for the third time this season as he once again unsuccessfully attempted to carry the Aguilas on his proverbial back.

Carlos Hernandez (RP, Caracas - Saturday): 1.1 IP, 1 BB (intentional), 2 K - For the second time in as many outings, Hernandez pitched in multiple frames - this time getting the Leones out of a sixth-inning jam after Simon Leandro blew a save and pitching an impressive seventh to keep the contest even at three runs apiece.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Saturday): 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 K - J-Rod drove in the only Gigante run of the game for his eleventh RBI of the La Pro season.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Saturday): 0-3 - Tolentino’s effort was indicative of the pitchers’ duel nature of this game as a whole.

Jaison Chourio (CF, Zulia - Sunday): 1-for-4 - Twelve different players took at-bats for the Zulia team on Sunday and Chourio was one of five who recorded at least one hit as the team was mostly stifled at the plate. Chourio singled on a groundball back up the middle to lead off the bottom of the first, with two flyouts and a groundout to wrap up his day.

Angel Martinez (CF, Estrellas - Sunday): 0-for-3 - Martinez was left without a hit on Sunday and relieved for a pinch hitter with runners in scoring position after three plate appearances. Martinez flew out twice and hit an infield popup.

Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Carolina - Sunday): 0-for-2, R, 2 HBPs, OF assist - Rodriguez gunned down a runner trying to stretch a single to a double on the first batter of the game and for that, and the opponents may have taken offense to that and plunked him twice in the batter’s box (kidding on the intention). His other at-bats included two groundouts.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Hermosillo - Sunday): 0-for-3, DP - A hitless day for Tolentino with a pair of strikeouts, but the Hermosillo squad couldn’t get anything going offensively in a shutout loss on Sunday.

Dayan Frias (SS, Colombia - Sunday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI - A surprisingly normal stat line given the extreme nature of Colombia’s blowout victory. For those wondering what exactly the Bolivarian Games are, they are a regional Olympic Games (think the Pan-Am Games, but even more regional) contested primarily by countries liberated from Spanish colonial rule by Simon Bolivar.

Dayan Frias (SS, Colombia, Monday): 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K - Again, Frias was not the source of the avalanche of Colombian runs, but he remained a consistent contributor through the country’s first two Group Stage games. By the way, as far as I can tell from the Tournament’s stats page, these games are scheduled for only seven innings.

Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana reportedly set to represent Australia at WBC

Exciting news.

By Henry Palattella

Dec 10, 2025

On Monday, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti spoke to the media, where he talked about a variety of different topics in relation to Cleveland’s offseason pursuits. One of those topics, according to Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes, was top prospect Travis Bazzana, who missed the end of last season with an oblique injury.

But, according to Antonetti, Bazzana is healthy and working out in his home country of Australia, who he’ll represent in next spring’s World Baseball Classic.

That update is great news for a variety of reasons, as it not only confirms that Bazzana should be healthy for spring training (barring anything unforeseen happening), but it also means that we’ll finally get a chance to see him play against some of the bigger names in baseball ahead of him (hopefully) making his MLB debut for the Guardians in 2026.

Travis Bazzana would be an electric addition to the World Baseball Classic

While Bazzana’s 2025 season ended with him on the injured list, he still took some big steps that got him closer to making his MLB debut. After starting the season at Double-A, Bazzana missed nearly two weeks due to an oblique strain. He ended up making his return in July and was called up to Triple-A before suffering a right flank strain that ended up being season ending.

n total, the 23-year-old slashed .245/.389/.424 with nine home runs and 39 RBI in 89 games. Although he hit just .225 in 26 games at Triple-A, he had an on-base percentage of .420, which showcases just how good of an understanding he has of the strike zone.

MLB Pipeline still has him ranked as the Guardians’ No. 1 prospect, and recently had him as the No. 17 prospect in all of baseball in their recent re-rank of all the prospects in baseball.

And now he’ll get a chance to prove himself at the World Baseball Classic, which is quickly becoming one of the main tentpole events across baseball.

At the 2023 iteration of the tournament, Team Australia came in second in Pool B and advanced to the knockout round where they eventually lost to Cuba despite not having bonafide major leaguers on their roster. Along with having Bazzana on their roster in 2026, Team Australia will also have White Sox infielder Curtis Mead and Boston reliever Liam Hendriks.

Bazzana made his Australian National Team debut last year in the Premier12 tournament, where he went 5-for-19 with an RBI and run scored across five games in the tournament.

Although the World Baseball Classic being during spring training can lead to some handwringing from organizational higher-ups throughout baseball, having him play in the WBC will provide him with the kind of invaluable experience that could help him hit the ground running.

That experience may not result in him breaking camp with the Guardians, but it gives even more credence to the thinking we’ll see him make his MLB debut at some point in 2026.

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Numerous Guardians players poised to play in World Baseball Classic

Guardians all over the map.

By Henry Palattella

Dec 10, 2025

Earlier this week, we found out that Travis Bazzana is planning on playing for Australia in next spring’s World Baseball Classic after making his national team debut last season.

It turns out that he’s not going to be the only Guardian who will have a chance to make his presence known at the biggest tournament in baseball. On Tuesday, Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt confirmed to Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes that Cade Smith, Bo Naylor and Erik Sabrowski had all been invited to play for Team Canada at the upcoming WBC.

Additionally, Venezuela manager Omar Lopez confirmed to Hoynes that Gabriel Arias is part of the county’s player pool, while also confirmed that Brayan Rocchio won’t be playing.

Even though the World Baseball Classic comes at an unfortunate time on the baseball calendar (right in the middle of spring training), getting a chance to see so many Guardians show their stuff on baseball’s biggest stage is an exciting development.

There are going to be plenty of Guardians competing in the World Baseball Classic

While the Guardians had nine players participate in the 2023 iteration of the Classic , Cal Quantrill (Canada), Bo Naylor (Canada), Andrés Giménez (Venezuela) and Richie Palacios (Netherlands) were the only players from the MLB roster who went. Smith also participated for Team Canada, but he was still a minor leaguer at the time.

That will likely be the case again this year (Travis Bazzana will headline that group), but it also seems like there will be some legitimate impact players from Cleveland’s roster who could spend nearly a month competing for their country.

Naylor hit .143 in three games for Canada with a home run in the 2023 Classic, while Smith allowed one run in two innings of work.

There will also be a strong contingent of former Guardians in the tournament as well, as Hoynes wrote that Josh Naylor is also set to play for Team Canada after not playing in 2023, and Andrés Giménez will once again play for Venezuela, albeit at the keystone.

Giménez also had a strong showing for Venezuela in the 2023 tournament (.294 batting average in five games).

Ultimately, a player's decision to compete in the World Baseball Classic comes down to what they (and their club) think is the best decision for them. It’s a tough time in the baseball calendar, which limits some players who would be best off staying in camp with their team (which is the reason why Rocchio isn’t playing).

There’s also the injury risk, as we saw in 2023 when Edwin Díaz suffered a season-ending knee injury celebrating Puerto Rico’s win.

But it’s a gamble that some players take to represent their country, and it looks like there are plenty of important Guardians who are ready to take it.

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Is Guardians’ Jose Ramirez playing in World Baseball Classic?

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints | Last updated Dec 12, 2025 3:16 PM ET

Manny Machado’s intention to play in the World Baseball Classic immediately energized Dominican Republic baseball and sent ripples across the league. The announcement reopened conversations about which stars could follow him onto the 2026 stage. Guardians star Jose Ramirez, as noted by baseball reporter Shawn Spradling, has already expressed his plan to suit up after missing the 2023 tournament due to injury rehab, adding another defining chapter to the J-Rams’ legacy and keeping the Guardians firmly in the spotlight.

The timing lands heavy in Cleveland. The Guardians rode grit and swagger to another division crown, only to exit early in the Wild Card round. The finish felt proud yet unfinished. Ramirez mirrored that tension all season. He delivered elite production again and finished top three in the AL MVP race. Again. Four top-three finishes. Zero trophies. Since 1931, no player has carried that mix of sustained dominance and near-misses quite like him.

Night after night, the Guardians felt his pull. Ramirez sparked rallies when innings stalled. He steadied the dugout when pressure climbed. His 2025 stat line spoke cleanly: .283/.360/.503, 30 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. Loud impact. Quiet authority. The kind that defines a Guardians cornerstone without demanding the spotlight.

What the World Baseball Classic means for the Guardians star

That authority now points toward a global stage. The Dominican Republic roster shaping up for the World Baseball Classic looks stacked at every turn. The Guardians star could share the infield with Machado, Elly De La Cruz, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ketel Marte, and more. The outfield could feature Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Julio Rodriguez. Albert Pujols is set to manage the group. Under those lights, the stakes rise fast.

Awards still shape legacies. They always have. But baseball also remembers moments that stretch beyond ballots. Big games. National colors. Pressure that feels different. If Jose Ramirez finally steps onto the World Baseball Classic stage at full strength, could that stage deliver the defining moment his Guardians career still feels destined to claim?

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The Best NPB Player at Every Position in 2025

Yuri Karasawa

December 7, 2025

With Nippon Professional Baseball’s official award season behind us, let’s take a shot at recognizing who truly stood out at each position this past year.

My personal selections for this “All-NPB Team” follow the same principles as the All-MLB or All-NBA teams, drawing on a broad range of data, from traditional stats like home runs and strikeouts to advanced metrics such as On Base plus Slugging Plus (OPS+), Called Strike plus Whiff Rate (CSW%), and Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). Deltagraphs WAR served as a reference point for overall value, but not a strict deciding factor.

The team consists of nine position players, with all outfield spots grouped together, plus nine pitchers, including six starters and three relievers.






C: Seishiro Sakamoto (Tigers) excelled on both sides of the ball, leading all catchers in DRS while providing elite framing and maintaining a strong .357 on-base percentage.

1B: Tyler Nevin (Lions) proved to be an impactful all-around bat in his debut NPB season, finishing fourth among qualified hitters with a 142 OPS+. He smashed 21 homers in 137 games and only struck out 14% of the time.

2B: Takumu Nakano (Tigers) showcased his skills as a dynamic role player, leading NPB with 44 sacrifice bunts, adding 22 DRS and 19 steals, and posting a solid .282 average.

3B: Teruaki Sato (Tigers) claimed the CL MVP as he erupted for a career-high 40 home runs and 102 ribbies in 139 games, dominating the competition with a stellar 186 OPS+.

https://youtu.be/fHTawXj1u94

SS: Yuta Izuguchi (Giants) enjoyed a breakout campaign, batting .301 and surpassing the 6 WAR mark. He only struck out at an 11% clip while leading all shortstops in Ultimate Zone Rating.

OF: Tatsuru Yanagimachi (Hawks) served as a steady backbone amid key injuries to teammates, leading NPB with a .384 on-base percentage while compiling 17 DRS split between left and right field.

OF: Koji Chikamoto (Tigers) anchored the top of the lineup exceptionally with 5.8 WAR and 32 steals, all while playing standout defense in center field.

OF: Shota Morishita (Tigers) continued his ascension into stardom, posting a 153 OPS+ and 6.1 WAR, both ranking second in NPB.

DH: Franmil Reyes (Fighters) fully established himself as one of the league’s most feared sluggers, finishing top two in home runs (32), RBI (90), and ISO (.238).

https://youtu.be/jdQLmPyn5I4

SP: Livan Moinelo (Hawks) took home the PL MVP award, leading NPB with a 1.46 ERA over 167 frames and ranking second in strikeout rate at 27%.

SP: Tatsuya Imai (Lions) turned in a brilliant platform year before his MLB posting, finishing with a 1.92 ERA and an NPB-best 28% strikeout rate.

SP: Hiromi Itoh (Fighters) strengthened his reputation as NPB’s premier workhorse, leading the league in both innings (196 ⅔) and strikeouts (195) en route to the Sawamura Award.

SP: Hiroya Miyagi (Buffaloes) reaffirmed his standing as an elite ace, pacing all qualifiers in FIP- (63), K-BB% (22.0%), and CSW% (32.2%).

https://youtu.be/n2Ss9yCkBFA

SP: Shoki Murakami (Tigers) consistently worked deep into games and carved up lineups, matching the league’s best WHIP at 0.89 and logging the second-most innings with 175.1.

SP: Chihiro Sumida (Lions) built on his growing consistency, lowering his ERA for the fourth straight year and finishing top five in both K-BB% and CSW%.

RP: Shinya Matsuyama (Dragons) was electric, striking out 35% of opposing hitters and converting 46 saves in his first year as closer.

RP: Raidel Martinez (Giants) remained one of the league’s most reliable stoppers, leading NPB with a 0.76 WHIP and sharing the lead in saves during his debut season in Tokyo.

https://youtu.be/ske3QvT2MNc

RP: Kazuki Sugiyama (Hawks) thrived after taking over the ninth inning in May, dominating the late innings and finishing with 31 saves and a 32% strikeout rate.

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Murakami, Okamoto, Imai, and Takahashi Posted to MLB



Yuri Karasawa

November 24, 2025

Another offseason brings another wave of Nippon Professional Baseball stars heading to Major League Baseball. This winter’s posting class features four standout names: Munetaka Murakami (Swallows), Kazuma Okamoto (Giants), Tatsuya Imai (Lions), and Kona Takahashi (Lions). Taken together, it’s arguably one of the strongest NPB groups ever posted in the same year. Murakami is a generational talent; Okamoto has been one of the premier sluggers of the 2020s; Imai offers legitimate ace upside; and even Takahashi has a chance to get an MLB offer.

With a 45-day negotiation window, Murakami must sign by December 22, Imai by January 2, and both Okamoto and Takahashi by January 4. If any of them fail to reach an agreement by their respective deadlines, they will simply return to their NPB clubs.

Veteran reliever Takahiro Norimoto (Eagles), an international free agent, is also seeking an MLB opportunity, though he’s probably more likely to stay in Japan. Several American starting pitchers who elevated their careers in NPB are also weighing a return to the United States, including Foster Griffin (Giants), Jon Duplantier (Tigers), Anthony Kay (BayStars), and Andre Jackson. Right-hander Cody Ponce is also worth mentioning, as he just set the KBO single-season strikeout record and spent three seasons in NPB from 2022-2024.

Over the past month, I’ve released player profile videos on Murakami, Okamoto, and Imai. I’ve also made various podcast appearances (and will continue to do more) to break down everyone’s outlooks in greater depth. Please give them a watch if you’re interested.

1B/3B Munetaka Murakami

https://youtu.be/FN1ACMov6po

Murakami bursts into the Majors as one of the most prodigious sluggers ever produced in the land of the rising sun. Across 892 games, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows third baseman launched 246 home runs and slashed .270/.394/.557 (165 wRC+).

He won the 2022 CL Triple Crown and MVP while showcasing one of the greatest offensive years in NPB history with a .318 average, 56 homers, 134 RBI, and a 225 wRC+ in 141 games. He regressed from 2023-24 but rebounded in 2025, smashing 22 homers with a 1.043 OPS in just 56 contests, showcasing the same elite power that has defined his career. His max exit velocity even reached 117 mph, putting him on par with global superstars like Aaron Judge or Kyle Schwarber.

However, the 25-year-old has serious swing-and-miss concerns. He’s struck out around 30% of the time over his past three seasons, the worst rate in NPB during that span by a considerable margin, a red flag rarely seen in successful MLB transitions. Defensively, Murakami is likely limited to first base or DH after posting well below-average metrics at third, though he runs decently well for his size and should not be a total liability on the bases.

His high-variance profile means he could fall short of his mega contract expectations and resemble a very volatile, Joey Gallo-type three true outcomes machine. But the Kumamoto native also has the potential to become a perennial All-Star with 35-45 homer upside, in the mold of Matt Olson, Rafael Devers, or Nick Kurtz. Murakami’s raw talent is generational, and at his age, he has the ceiling to continue developing into one of the most feared power threats in the world.

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1B/3B/LF Kazuma Okamoto

https://youtu.be/fMZBoO_96Z4


Okamoto, a 29-year-old slugger for the Yomiuri Giants, is the first position player in franchise history to be posted to MLB after a remarkably consistent career that included six straight 30-homer campaigns from 2018-23 and a .277/.361/.521 line (147 wRC+) across 1,074 NPB games.

Despite missing time with an elbow injury in 2025, he led all NPB hitters (min. 200 PA) with a .327 average and 214 wRC+, hit 15 homers in 69 games, and struck out just 11%. He also posted a strong 90% in-zone contact rate, dramatically better than Murakami’s 73%, which highlights the gap in their bat-to-ball skills.

The Nara native draws comps to Seiya Suzuki, pairing elite pull-side lift with a stable foundation of quality plate skills. On the field, he’s likely to settle in at first base, though he also has experience at third base and in left field. In the short term, Okamoto remains firmly in his prime and should make a relatively smooth transition as an impact bat.

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RHP Tatsuya Imai

https://youtu.be/Rmxcv6aSIUk

Imai, the 27-year-old ace of the Saitama Seibu Lions, is heading to North America after delivering a career-best 1.92 ERA and 156 ERA+ across 163 ⅔ innings in 2025.

Armed with a mid-to-high 90s fastball and an unorthodox “reverse” slider as his primary weapons, the right-hander led all NPB qualifiers with a 28% strikeout rate and continued a multi-year trend of lowering his walk rate all the way to 7%. Improved command, along with progress on his other secondaries like the changeup, splitter, vulcan, and curveball, allowed him to find more consistency and perform better against opposite-hand hitters.

The Tochigi native enters the MLB market as one of the top available free agents and is poised for a $140+ million contract. His profile draws some comparisons to Luis Castillo, Joe Ryan, and Kodai Senga, with clear top-of-the-rotation upside, so long as his once-shaky control and left-handed splits hold up.

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RHP Kona Takahashi

https://youtu.be/cB9Xq4HUJCk

Takahashi has voiced MLB aspirations for several years, and he finally got his chance as the Seibu Lions approved his posting request after he became eligible for domestic free agency. The 28-year-old righty posted a stellar 2.20 ERA across nearly 350 innings from 2022–2023, but has been very underwhelming the last two seasons, which has cooled his market.

Still, he sits around 93 mph and can touch 97, while mixing in a splitter, slider, cutter, and curveball. With the right pitching-focused organization to help fix his fastball shape and improve his arsenal, the 2014 first-rounder could be a useful depth arm, either on a minor league deal or a short-term MLB contract.

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Samurai Japan Wrap Up Exhibition with Korea



Yuri Karasawa

November 17, 2025

Samurai Japan wrapped up their weekend exhibition series against rivals Korea at the Tokyo Dome, with one win and one tie, in front of crowds of more than 41,000 each night. The world No. 1 squad cruised to an 11-4 victory in Game 1 and battled to a 7-7 draw in Game 2, offering an early preview of the upcoming East Asian clash in Pool C of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Both teams were without some of their biggest stars, but the series still showcased All-Star talent from Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korean Baseball Organization. The games also provided valuable live reps under WBC conditions, including the MLB baseball, enlarged bases, pitch clock, and PitchCom.

Game 1: Japan 11, Korea 4

https://youtu.be/u7RLy1NWjFo

24-year-old southpaw Ryuhei Sotani (Buffaloes) started Game 1, delivering three perfect innings with two strikeouts. After Korea briefly surged ahead on back-to-back homers off Daisuke Moriura (Carp), Hirokazu Ibata’s lineup answered emphatically with three runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth, highlighted by a pinch-hit three-run blast from Yukinori Kishida (Giants). It was a strong showing for the 29-year-old Kishida, who is vying for the starting catcher job at the WBC.

They continued to punish the shaky Korean staff and went on to win, 11-4. Central League batting champ Kaito Kozono (Carp) and rookie Misho Nishikawa (Marines) each had two hits. Taiki Ishikami (BayStars) pinch-ran and stole two bases.

It was the senior national team’s 10th consecutive win against Korea, dating back to 2017.

Japan Pitching Lines
Ryuhei Sotani: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K
Daisuke Moriura: 1.0 IP 3 H, 3 ER, 0 K
Yuki Matsumoto: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 K
Koki Kitayama: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Shoma Fujihira: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Kaima Taira: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K

Game 2: Japan 7, Korea 7

https://youtu.be/85BMTSeQdk8

Game 2 featured standout work from 19-year-old Korean righty Woo Joo Jeong (Hanwha Eagles), who tossed three hitless innings with four strikeouts, and a back-and-forth affair driven largely by command struggles (Korean pitchers walked 12 batters, Japan walked 7).

Korea took a 3-0 lead against star rookie Yumeto Kanemaru (Dragons) in the third, led by a clutch two-run single by Sung Mun Song (Kiwoom Heroes) with the bases full. But Japan immediately responded for the second straight night, tying the game in the top of the fourth.

In the fifth, the Samurai went up 6-4 on Tai Sasaki’s bases-loaded walk and Taiki Ishikami’s two-run single. Both Sasaki (Carp) and Ishikami (BayStars) were late roster additions and are not expected to feature in the WBC, but each made meaningful contributions in the series.

Down 7-5 in the bottom of the eighth, 22-year-old superstar Hyun Min Ahn (KT Wiz) crushed a no-doubt homer off Dragons ace Hiroto Takahashi, his second of the series. The game ultimately ended in a tie after Korea’s Ju Won Kim (NC Dinos) launched a dramatic two-out, ninth-inning homer off closer Taisei (Giants).

Japan Pitching Lines
Yumeto Kanemaru: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 K
Naoto Nishiguchi: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K
Shinya Matsuyama: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 K
Chihiro Sumida: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Hiroto Takahashi: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 K
Taisei: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K

MLB-bound slugger Kazuma Okamoto (Giants) only had two plate appearances in the series, flying out in Game 1 and drawing a pinch-hit walk late in Game 2.

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