Kazuma Okamoto, the standout first baseman for the Yomiuri Giants, has been named WBN’s International Player of the Week. At 28, Okamoto is one of Nippon Professional Baseball’s most accomplished current players, with additional experience at third base (782 games) and in the outfield (164 games).
A model of consistency and power, Okamoto has hit 20 or more home runs in seven consecutive seasons and is a six-time NPB All-Star. He has earned two Mitsui Golden Glove Awards and has spent his entire 11-year professional career (2015–2025) with the Giants.
On April 16, Okamoto made headlines by hitting two home runs off former MLB pitcher Trevor Bauer in a 5-0 road win over the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. He finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBI.
So far in the 2025 season, he’s off to a blazing start, batting .346 (second in the Central League) with six home runs, 16 RBI, a .416 on-base percentage, and a .680 slugging percentage.
His career numbers speak for themselves: 239 home runs, 684 RBI, and a .275/.359/.520 slash line across 3,745 at-bats.
Internationally, Okamoto played a key role in Team Japan’s gold medal win at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, hitting a pivotal solo home run against Team USA’s Kyle Freeland in the 3–2 championship victory. He finished the tournament with two home runs, seven RBI, a .333 average, and a 1.278 OPS.
He also represented Japan in the 2024 WBSC Premier12, where the team finished as runners-up after a 4–0 loss to Chinese Taipei in the final at the Tokyo Dome.
