Another Japanese star is set to make his way across the Pacific.
Third baseman Munetaka Murakami is reportedly set to be posted on Friday, which will begin his process towards playing in MLB, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, his negotiating window will open on Saturday at 8 a.m. ET and will close on Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. — a 45-day opening for teams to talk to the slugger.
Murakami, 25, has been viewed as many as the next star to come from Japan, featuring a powerful bat and a good eye for the ball.
He slashed .273/.379/.663 with 22 home runs and 47 RBI last season but only played in 56 games due to an oblique injury.
His best season came in 2022, when the lefty hitter slashed .318/.458/.710 with 56 home runs and 134 RBI at only 22 years old.
Over his eight seasons in NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball), Murakami has batted .270 with a .951 OPS and 246 home runs in 892 games, all with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
Murakami, who can play first or third base, also suited up for Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In seven games en route to the WBC title, he batted .231 with a .826 OPS, one home run and six RBI.
