Japan’s home run king Murakami to be posted for MLB teams

The 25-year-old Murakami holds the record for single-season home runs by a Japanese player in Nippon Professional Baseball, hitting 56 home runs in 2022 to break Sadaharu Oh's 1964 record of 55. A prolific power hitter, Murakami is departing the Tokyo Yakult Swallows with 246 home runs in his eight seasons in Japan.

His prolific batting is expected to generate widespread interest among Major League Baseball teams this winter. Sources said the 45-day contract extension for Murakami will begin Saturday at 8 a.m. Eastern Time, ensuring he will sign with a major league team before the deadline expires at 5 p.m. on December 22.

Murakami, who can also play first base, is one of the gems in a deep class of players coming from Asia this winter. Other players expected to join MLB teams through the posting system – which facilitates the transfer of players whose rights teams still control – from Japan and Korea to MLB. Right-hander Cody Ponce, who posted a 17-1 record with a 1.89 ERA in the Korea Baseball Organization, and left-handers Foster Griffin and Anthony Kay, both of whom pitched in Japan, are also expected to return to MLB.

A left-handed batter, Murakami played only 56 games this year due to an oblique injury, but still hit 22 home runs with a .273/.379/.663 slash line. Although his tendency to strike out, and especially his in-zone swing-and-miss rate, may make teams hesitate, Murakami's age and potential are so attractive that his free agency could become a frenzy.

The addition of Japanese players has fueled the last two championships, with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to World Series victories. Los Angeles guaranteed over $1 billion to sign Ohtani as a free agent and select Yamamoto from the Orix Buffaloes through the posting system.

MLB teams signing players through posting must pay a fee to the Asian team from which the player is transferred: 20% for the first $25 million, 17.5% for the next $25 million, and an additional 15% for every dollar above $50 million.

Murakami is expected to receive a nine-figure deal, with a minimum posting fee of $16.9 million. According to sources, high-ranking MLB officials reviewed several of Murakami's games this season and were impressed.

In his eight seasons with the Swallows since his debut at age 18, Murakami has averaged .270/.394/.557, with a walk rate of over 16% and a strikeout rate of nearly 26%.