The next Japanese phenomenon comes after Rocky Sasaki

There are currently a large number of baseball players leaving Japan and coming to America. Pitcher Roki Sasaki is one of them, ace he just signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. There’s a new guy on the horizon, though, who might be just as good.

Rumor has it that it is the Japanese loser Munetaka Murakami the next Japanese phenomenonaccording to MLB.com. Murakami is reportedly a powerful home run hitter looking to enter Major League Baseball in 2026. Murakami is about to turn 25 and already had a 50+ homer season in Japan.

In fact, Murakami has had several seasons with video game numbers on offense. He reportedly had five seasons with at least 30 home runs in Japan, according to MLB.com.

Murakami has received a lot of attention from MLB teams after his appearance in the 2023 World Baseball Classic The loss helped Japan win the championship over the USA. In that final out, Murakami hit a homer off MLB pitcher Merrill Kelly that traveled 432 feet.

It’s not all peaches and cream for swings. Murakami has seen his strikeouts increase over the past few years, while seeing his slugging percentage drop. That makes sense, as power hitters often have their ups and downs. There will be questions about Murakami going forward, but that’s the same for everyone.

Clearly, MLB teams will be keeping a close eye on what Murakami does in 2025.

Rocky Sasaki is the talk of MLB this offseason

Before MLB gets excited about Murakami, it will have to watch Sasaki. The Japanese pitcher was pursued by several teams this offseason, but Sasaki ultimately decided to go with the Dodgers.

Sasaki conquered the world of Japanese baseball. He was 29-15 as a starter in Japan while posting a 2.10 ERA. His success there with its control and speed is something the Dodgers loved.

“Even then, his explosive fastball, precise command and poise beyond his years stood out,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told MLB.com. “Rocky continued to set records. He left an indelible mark on the international scene. And we couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with him.”

Sasaki is expected to slot right into the Dodgers rotation, working in tandem with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That’s exciting news for Dodgers fans, as the team lost hurler Walker Buehler this offseason. The Dodgers are looking to repeat as World Series champions in 2025.

Only time will tell how effective Sasaki can be in Major League Baseball.