The Yakult Swallows and third baseman Munetaka Murakami have agreed to a one-year contract for around $4 million dollars for what will be his final season in Japan. He is one of Japan’s most prolific hitters, and entering what will be his age-25 season, he is ready to help his Yakult Swallows win a championship.
Murakami expressed, “It’s quite difficult for Yakult players, including pitchers, to recover even if they are injured. While there are few players coming, there are still good players smoldering, so if we improve that more, the team’s strength will increase, and I think we will be able to win the championship.” He has played with the Swallows since he was 18, debuting with them in 2018.
With seven seasons spent donning a Swallows uniform, Murakami has played in 836 games, hitting for a .270 average, hitting 224 home runs, driving in 600 RBIs, and stealing 55 bases. Murakami also represented World Champions Samurai Japan during the World Baseball Classic in 2023. He hit for a .231 average in seven games, hitting a home run and driving in six RBIs.
He plays third base in Japan but will likely transition to first base/designated hitter upon entering the MLB. It will be intriguing to see in just a year from now which teams will be battling in free agency to land the once-in-a-lifetime power hitter. But Murakami’s focus for this season is helping to bring the Yakult Swallows a championship before he heads to the United States.
