The slow but steady exodus of Japan's top talent from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB was headlined in 2024 by phenom Roki Sasaki, but pitchers Tomoyuki Sugano and Shinnosuke Ogasawara also made their debuts this year for the Orioles and Nationals, and more are on their way.
The headliner going into the 2026 season will be slugger Munetaka Murakami, who hit 56 homers for the Yakult Swallows in 2022 and drew international attention during the 2023 World Baseball Classic with a walk-off two-run double against Team Mexico in the semifinal.
Murakami has already been variously linked to the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs, Angels, and even the Tigers, but no doubt he'll come with a hefty price tag on top of a posting fee for the Swallows.