The “Babe Ruth of Higo” will reportedly be posted this winter, and three powerhouse teams are already linked to the Japanese superstar.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Munetaka Murakami, a 25-year-old infielder for Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yakult Swallows, will be available to sign with any MLB team. The New York Yankees, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are already showing interest.
In eight NPB seasons, Murakami has slugged 246 home runs, including a record 56 in 2022 — the most ever for a Japanese-born player. He also won the Triple Crown that year.
Murakami has a career slash line of .270/.394/.557 and plays both first and third base, with third being his primary position. The Japanese slugger earned the “Babe Ruth of Higo” nickname because of his impressive power and roots in the Higo region of Japan.
“He has legit power,” a scout told MLB.com. “It should translate to the majors.”
Concerns About Murakami’s Plate Discipline
Despite his prodigious power, there are concerns about his plate discipline. His strikeout rate has increased over the last three seasons to 29.5%, while his walk rate has tumbled.
“The strikeout and walk numbers may scare some teams away,” an American League executive explained to Feinsand. “He has big power, but there appear to be a lot of holes in that swing.”
The biggest contract given to an international position player was the five-year, $113 million deal outfielder Jung Hoo Lee signed with the San Francisco Giants before the 2024 season. The largest contract given to a player from NPB was the 10-year, $325 million deal pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto received from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Murakami receives a contract in the $200 million range as several teams battle for his services.
