Japanese Star Munetaka Murakami Set to Be Posted For MLB Signing-Teams Have 45 Days to Negotiate

Let the Murakami sweepstakes… COMMENCE. Several ball clubs have had their eye on this third baseman and now they will get their chance to try and sign him over the next 40+ days. On Friday, Major League Baseball announced that Japanese star Munetaka Murakami is set to be posted for MLB signing.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Murakami stating, “BREAKING: Japanese star third baseman Munetaka Murakami will be posted today, officially starting the process of one of the most anticipated free agencies of the winter, sources tell ESPN. Murakami’s 45-day negotiating window to come to a deal with an MLB team starts tomorrow.”

The MLB also had a brief statement about the Munetaka situation. The league added,

“3B/1B Munetaka Murakami will be posted today by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Nippon Professional Baseball League per multiple reports including MLB’s Mark Feinsand. All 30 MLB Clubs will have 45 days to negotiate with Murakami.

The 25-year-old slugger was the Central League’s Triple Crown winner and MVP in 2022 and was part of Japan’s World Baseball Classic championship team in 2023.”

As one can see, the 25-year-old Murakami will be a highly sought after commodity. Thanks to the Dodgers winning not one, but two championships after adding Japanese talent to complement their already strong roster; it certainly opens the door for other organizations to follow suit.

Nonetheless, regarding Murakami, he has hit 265 HRs over 8 seasons in Japan. Which works out to averaging over 30 home runs a year. Definitely firepower in that bat. And Munetaka Murakami posted a 1.051 OPS and 26 HRs in 69 games this season. In 2022, Murakami made history by smashing 56 home runs in 141 games, an NPB record that stands as the most in a single season by a Japanese-born player.

Japanese Star Munetaka Murakami Set to Be Posted For MLB Signing-Teams Have 45 Days to Negotiate

So what’s the catch? The guy sounds good, but what is the flaw if there is one? In American baseball he could become “a strikeout victim.” Murakami garnered a 29% K rate over the past three seasons (a strikeout rate of 20% or less is considered good in MLB); which is exceptionally high relative to his NPB peers. But this doesn’t mean he can’t make adjustments to continue to be an at-bat threat. However, time shall tell.

MLB teams were notified today that infielder Munetaka Murakami of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows will be posted. The negotiating window is between Nov. 8 at 8:00 a.m. (ET)-Dec. 22 at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

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