One of the biggest stars in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) is Munetaka Murakami, a player for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. This week it was revealed that among the teams interested in signing him arethe New York Yankees and Mets.
The slugger is the jewel that different teams will be fighting for in the offseason. The Japanese set a new local league record with 56 home runs in a season. It is this power with the bat that has caught the attention of some MLB organizations, including the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs.
According to predictions made about his transfer, analysts point out that Murakami could reach the Major Leagues with a six-year contract worth $140 million, plus $22 million for the payment of the transfer fee.
However, the stellar poster he has in Japan has been called into question by experts who consider Kazuma Okamoto of the Yomiuri Giants to be a better hitter. There are those who put Kazuma ahead as a better prepared option than Munetaka to reach MLB.
Is Okamoto better than Murakami?
A Nippon Professional Baseball League insider, called ‘Yakyu Cosmopolitan’, commented that Murakami does have some flaws in his contacts, but they are not so serious as to qualify Okamoto as more prepared than him.
An important perspective that people should have. While there are concerns about Murakami’s contact beyond strikeouts, sluggers of his caliber don’t grow on trees, and he’ll only turn 26 next year. With Okamoto you get what you pay for. Murakami has a lower floor but a higher ceiling.
He detailed that age is an important factor to consider. Okamoto is 29 years old, so he is more experienced. However, according to ‘Yakyu Cosmpolotinan’, he has already reached his peak. Murakami, on the other hand, is 25, an acceptable age to reach MLB in optimal condition and polish his defects in the first few seasons.
Pros and cons between Okamoto and Murakami
One of Munetaka’s most talked about flaws is his missed swings. In terms of strikeouts, he has hovered around 30% over the past three seasons. High-speed pitches or sharp breaks are his Achilles’ heel. FanGraphs reveals that he has only been able to hit 63% of fastballs. His strength, on the other hand, is his hitting. He can hit 30 or more home runs per season.
Kazuma is effective in speed contacts with an average of 84%. In his case, the home run rate is lower than Munetaka’s and there is no chance that he can match or even surpass him.
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