NPB: Grading Every Pacific League Teams Offseason

With Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Spring Training finally underway, plenty of new faces have popped up at their new team facilities across Japan. Last year, the Softbank Hawks re-established themselves as the Pacific League’s top dog by signing Japanese slugger Hotaka Yamakawa and cruised to a PL pennant before being upset by the scrappy Baystars. The rest of the Pacific League responded with a flurry of free-agent acquisitions, hoping to catch up to one of NPB’s most loaded rosters.

Here’s a look at how each team shaped up their offseason and what it could mean for their outlook in 2025:

Chiba Lotte Marines: B

Additions: RHP Shuta Ishikawa, RHP Tayron Guerrero, Bryan Sammons, RHP Austin Voth

Departures: RHP Roki Sasaki, LHP C.C Mercedes

Reeling from losing perhaps the most talented Japanese baseball player in history, the Marines, unfortunately, did not receive appropriate compensation for the loss of Roki Sasaki, who at times looked like the best pitcher on the planet during his Marines tenure.

From what little posting money they ended up receiving from the LA Dodgers, the Marines invested it back into signing 33-year-old SP Shuta Ishikawa to a 3-year deal. The right-hander had been a mainstay of the powerhouse Softbank Hawks, winning 4 straight Japan Series titles from 2017-2020. The Tokyo native is 56-41 with a 3.32 ERA over his career and comfortably slots in the middle of the Marines rotation.

Built like Kevin Durant, the 6-foot-8 Guerrero is best known for his blistering heater, which averaged 99.3 MPH in 2019 for the Marlins. This will not be the first time the lanky Colombian has pitched in Japan or for the Marines. The 34-year-old found success in Chiba in 2021, pitching 46 innings with a 3.52 ERA and 63 strikeouts, featuring a pitching strategy that wasn’t much more than spamming fastballs. Since then, Guerrero has struggled with three different organizations at the AAA level, but his heater still averages 99-101 MPH, plus his slider went from 87 to 92 MPH since his NPB debut. If he can limit his walks like he did in 2024, that should be enough for Guerrero to be a valuable weapon for an otherwise bland Marines bullpen.

Sammons, 29, is a late-blooming lefty who made his major league debut in 2024 as part of the Detroit Tigers pitching conglomerate behind ace Tarik Skubal. In 6 relief appearances in the summer, Sammons took down valuable innings as a follower, averaging over 4 innings per outing. The southpaw did his job, posting a 3.62 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP, but he didn’t miss enough bats to make Detroit’s postseason roster. Sammons was stretched out as a starter in AAA and posted a 4.15 ERA.

The Marines grabbed a (extremely small) share of the headlines on Superbowl Sunday when the team grabbed 32-year-old Austin Voth to fill their rotation. Voth was surprisingly let go by the Seattle Mariners after posting a stellar campaign out of the bullpen in 2024, with a 3.69 ERA, 3.14xERA, and a strikeout per inning over 68 appearances. It is worth noting that Voth has actually found significantly more success as a starter in his career (4.23 ERA as SP in 178.2 IP vs 5.15 ERA as RP in 181.2 IP,) and the right-hander likely saw NPB as the perfect proving ground to prove he can be a rotation piece on any team moving forward.

Even with the departure of Sasaki, this offseason was a success for the Marines. Dependable sluggers Gregory Polanco and Neftalí Soto will be back after both smacking 20+ HR, and the rotation got much-needed depth. Sammons is a 1-for-1 replacement of Mercedes, though without the NPB track record of the latter, Voth was a coup this late into the offseason, while Guerrero will at least be a lot of fun to watch light up Marine Stadium’s radar guns.

Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters: A

Additions: RHP Gu Lin Ruey-Yang

Departures: UTIL Gosuke Katoh, RHP Bryan Rodríguez, RHP Patrick Murphy

On November 20th, 2024, the Fighters announced the signing of star Taiwanese pitcher Gu Lin Ruey-Yang to a 3-year contract with a 4th-year option. The Fighters landed Gu Lin’s negotiation rights after bidding against several NPB teams, paying up to 1M$ in posting fees to Lin’s former team, Tainan City’s Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions.

Gu Lin has been a monster in Taiwan for the past two years. The 24-year-old ace tossed 205 innings to a miniscule 1.71 ERA with 202 strikeouts in 2023 and 2024. This year’s campaign is the one that put him firmly on NPB team’s radar, as the young fireballer racked in awards like CPBL MVP, CPBL Pitcher of the Year, and was on CPBL’s First Team of the Year.

Though Yang was the only significant addition, the Fighters managed to bring back the core that got their first top-2 PL finish in 8 years when Shohei Ohtani was still on the team. The team extended slugger Franmil Reyes, who was the best hitter in NPB after the All-Star break, catcher/1B Ariel Martínez, who now has back-to-back double-digit HR campaigns, RHP Drew VerHagen, who will enter his 4th year with the club and the man with the hardest fastball in NPB, Aneurys Zabala, will be back as well.

Orix Buffaloes: A-

Additions: RHP Aren Kuri, IF Jordan Diaz, OF Edward Olivares

Departures: RHP Luis Castillo, IF Leandro Cedeño, OF Cody Thomas

After a dominant three-year stretch which saw the Buffaloes make three straight Japan Series appearances with the likes of Masataka Yoshida and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Buffaloes fans endured a disappointing 5th place finish in 2024, and it’s unclear whether they have what it takes to reclaim their PL crown.

The team responded by signing 33-year-old Japanese-American starter Aren Kuri, who was a staple of the Hiroshima Carp’s rotation for the past decade. Kuri is 71-67 with a 3.49 ERA in his career and is best described as a quality innings-eater. Kuri attempted to sign with an MLB team this offseason, but teams likely were not enamored with his age and lack of raw stuff (fastball averages 88 MPH).

One of the only players on this list born in this millennium, Diaz has spent the past 8 years in the Athletics organization after being signed out of Colombia. The 24-year-old can best be described as an all-around hitter with plus power. Diaz spent all of 2024 in AAA, hitting .301/.362/.529 with 22 HR and a 119wRC+. Though Diaz isn’t a plus at any infield spot, he has meaningful experience at 1B, 2B, and 3B and could reasonably be the opening day 3B replacing the light-hitting Yuma Mune.

Olivares, 28, is a Venezuelan outfielder with real power-speed upside. Olivares’s best year in the majors was in 2023, where he hit .263 with 39 extra-base hits (12 HR, 4 3B, 23 2B) and 11 SB in Kansas City, though he struggled after he was traded to Pittsburgh this past offseason. Olivares has mostly played in the outfield corners, displaying one of the strongest arms in MLB, per Statcast. It’s hard to not see Olivares as a prime candidate to succeed in NPB, the 28-year old is entering his prime with a skillset that usually translates best to Japanese Baseball, putting the ball in play consistently while hitting for enough power. The speed is the cherry on top.

Overall a very strong offseason for the Buffaloes, as they keep flexing their financial muscles after receivng over 65 million dollars in posting fees by the Red Sox (Yoshida) and Dodgers (Yamamoto). Castillo was one of the best foreign pitchers the past 2 season,s but Orix has a ton of young and talented pitchers waiting in the wings. Letting Cedeño go is a head-scratching move at first, but Diaz is more versatile and comes in with actual MLB pedigree at just 24. Olivares is a clear upgrade over Thomas.

Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles: B-

Additions: SS Rui Muneyama, RHP Spencer Howard, RHP Miguel Yajure

Departures: RHP Masahiro Tanaka, RHP Cody Ponce, IF Eigoro Mogi

The Sendai-based club has been mired in mediocrity since their first and only title in team history in 2013, led by Masahiro Tanaka. The Eagles have finished in 4th place three years in a row, and their offseason moves were not inspiring enough to break that streak, save for landing one of the most prized Japanese prospects in recent memory.

The most contested pick of the 2024 NPB Draft, 21-year-old Rui “Prince of Meiji” Muneyama had been the talk of amateur baseball circles ever since he excelled in his first fall semester at Meiji University. Muneyama isn’t an imposing physical specimen (5’9, 175lbs) but makes up for it by displaying a polished skillset. The lefty hitter can spray hits all over the park and drew more walks than strikeouts in his college career. Muneyama’s defense is already deemed to be above average for NPB standards, and he should immediatly step in as the Eagles primary shortstop.

Howard is a gamble on a former top prospect’s upside. The former Phillies No.1 prospect has been a dud at the major league level (7.00 ERA in 144 IP) and hopes he can turn his career around like many others have in Japan. The 28-year old has a traditional 4-pitch mix with a 4-seam fastball that sits 94-96 MPH, slider, curveball and changeup. It is concerning that Howard has struggled at the AAA level as well with a 5.63 ERA with 5 different organizations and that is usually the bare minimum i expect for projecting a foreign player’s success in NPB.

Yajure, 26, was a NPB rookie with Central League’s Swallows last season, posting a 5-10 W-L record with a 3.34 ERA in 129 innings of work. The Swallows were likely misled by Yajure’s poor W-L ratio and failed to realize they had a pretty solid pitcher in their hands. Yajure finished 2024 as the Swallows 2nd most valuable pitcher by WAR (2.6) and it’s a usually a good bet to expect foreigners to build on promising rookie campaigns. He beefs up an otherwise thin Rakuten rotation.

Saitama Seibu Lions: A

Additions: RHP Emmanuel Ramírez, RHP Trey Wingenter, IF Leandro Cedeño, IF Tyler Nevin

Departures: RHP Albert Abreu, LHP Jefry Yan, IF Jesús Aguilar, OF Franchy Cordero

The 2024 Lions were one of the worst NPB teams in modern history, and the front office wisely responded with a complete overhaul, especially within their foreign core. Known MLB names like Jesús Aguilar and Franchy Cordero were basically unplayable, Jefry Yan perfomed his signature post strikeout jumps and not much else. Only Albert Abreu (2.38 ERA, 28 SV) was a positive contributor.

Seibu went out and acquired two former MLB relievers for their NPB-worst bullpen (according to FIP-) in Emmanuel Ramírez and Trey Wingenter. Ramírez, 30, made his MLB debut with the Marlins in 2024 after 12 seasons in the minors, posting a 6.97 ERA in 15 appearances. The Dominican right-hander has a three pitch-mix with a mid 90’s fastball that can touch 98, a mid 80’s splitter and a loopy slider that acts more like a curveball. It’s hard to see past Ramírez career 7.22 ERA in AAA, but the Lions must see him as a late-riser and I see him as a slight upgrade to Jefry Yan.

Wingenter is the 1-for-1 replacement of Abreu, the Auburn University product is characterized by his huge frame and sizzling fastball. Standing at 6-foot-7, Wingenter gets on top of the ball and can reach back for triple digits. A 4-year MLB veteran, Wingenter spent most of 2024 in AAA with the Cubs and Tigers organizations, striking out 35.9% of batters with a 2.98 ERA in 48 innings. I have modest concerns with Wingenter’s command (10.5 BB%) but NPB umpires usually call a wider strikezone and the ball itself is tackier, so I project the 30-year old American to form a powerful late-inning tandem with WBC winner Kaima Taira.

Cedeño is a great pickup. The 26-year old power hitting first baseman spent the past two seasons in Osaka with the Buffaloes hitting the ball harder than anyone else in Japan. The Venezuelan hit .260 with 15 HR for a 127wRC+, but finished 2nd to only Franmil Reyes in Hard Hit %. Cedeño will have a much easier time to find at-bats in a dreadful Lions lineup and the Belluna Dome is friendlier to hitters than Kyocera. I project Cedeño (barring health issues) to post the first 30+ HR season by a foreigner since 2019.

And I also like the Tyler Nevin signing. The 27-year old has been with the A’s, Tigers and Orioles in his MLB career, consistently struggling at the MLB level while demolishing AAA. Nevin has a solid approach at the plate (10.3 BB% at MLB level) and can hit for power to all fields. Nevin has struggled primarily against fastballs in his MLB career, but that actually isn’t a major issue because he won’t see the same velocity and spin in Japan. Nevin has been a negative at any corner position he has been deployed (1B,3B,LF,RF) and he should avoid the outfield due to his lack of range, but I don’t think the Lions can be too picky on where to play him, they will need his bat in the lineup.

Overall a really solid offseason in Saitama and a step in the right direction after a forgettable campaign. This team has some exciting talent (especially at the top of the rotation), but a lot would still have to break their way if they want to even sniff the playoffs.

Fukuoka Softbank Hawks: C

Additions: RHP Naoyuki Uwasawa, LHP Haruhiro Hamaguchi

Departures: LHP Tsuyoshi Wada, RHP Shuta Ishikawa, OF Adam Walker, C Takuya Kai

A pretty quiet winter by the deep-pocketed Hawks, who only signed former Red Sox Naoyuki Uwasawa as he makes his NPB return.

This is the 2nd time in 2 years where a pitcher asks to be posted by the Fighters, has a unsuccessful 1-year MLB stint and comes back to Japan free to sign with anyone. Those two pitchers are Kohei Arihara and now Uwasawa, and they both ended up in Fukuoka. The 31-year old right-hander struggled immensely in AAA for Boston, getting rocked with a 7.62 ERA over 59 innings. But like Arihara, we shouldn’t dismiss an accomplished NPB veteran returning to Japan after they have learned some new tricks, even if it didn’t work out stateside. With the Fighters, Uwasawa started 172 games over 10 seasons and posted a 3.19 ERA, 95 FIP- and 24 WAR. Uwasawa slots into the middle of the Hawks rotation on day one and should be seen as a slight upgrade over newest Marine Shuta Ishikawa.

Hamaguchi, 29, is a 8-year NPB veteran who came over from teh Yokohama Baystars in exchange for INF Masaki Mimori. Hamaguchi has a career 3.76 ERA in 132 starts and avoids the middle of the plate like the plague due to his subpar fastball velocity (87.4 MPH) and that leads to a higher number of walks (career 11.5 BB%) than you would find in most Japanese pitchers. The southpaw solidifies the backend of the Hawks rotation and should be in line to make 15-20 starts on the year.

Softbank lost 43-year old legend Tsuyoshi Wada to retirement this offseason, as Wada finally showed signs of his age in his age-42 season. Ishikawa was an important departure, but Uwasawa is younger, more durable and arguably better as is. Walker had a 20+HR season for the Yomiuri Giants in 2022 but could not hit a lick after he was traded to Fukuoka last winter. The loss of Kai, the primary catcher by Hideki Kuriyama in the 2023 WBC, was surprising. I doubt it was a matter of money, as the Hawks are owned by the richest man in pro sports (Masayoshi Son), but more due to them not believing in Kai’s bat as he ages and trusting their highly regarded player development in finding a younger, more projectable backstop. Time will tell if they were right.