The three biggest names this offseason coming over from Japan are Munetaka Murakami, Tatsuya Imai, and Kazuma Okamoto – and, by tomorrow, all three will be able to negotiate with MLB teams.
We know that Murakami has already been posted, and Imai is set to be posted and available starting tomorrow. We hadn’t yet known when Okamoto would be posted for MLB teams, open up his 45-day negotiating window.
Now we know: Nikkan Sports reports that, like Imai, Okamoto will be posted and available to sign starting tomorrow, November 19.
That is perhaps not a surprise, given that Imai and Okamoto are both represented in the States by Scott Boras. There’s a strategic element to the timing here, allowing for teams that want to act quickly to do so (with Qualifying Offer decisions in the rearview), but also allowing for most of the offseason to play out (in case there is a big spender or two that is waiting on other moves before going all-in). Each of Imai and Okamoto will be able to still negotiate a few days past the calendar flip to 2026. (For more on Tatsuya Imai and the Cubs’ hoped-for pursuit, see here.)
Okamoto, a corner infielder by trade, has been one of the most successful bats in NPB for a while, and although he’s not going to command a contract of the same size as Murakami (who is younger, with more long-term upside), he may be able to contribute more to his new team out of the gate.
From our previous discussion of Kazuma Okamoto:
Okamoto, 29, has been one of the best hitters in Japan for several years now, and plays third base. Throw in the Cubs’ efforts to build a pipeline out of Japan, and the dots aren’t too hard to connect to the possibility of a Cubs pursuit (with Matt Shaw developing in a utility role for a year, and then possibly taking over at second base if Nico Hoerner leaves in free agency after 2026 – all TBD). Add in the bonus of Okamoto being a righty bat that can play first base, and could periodically spell Michael Busch there against tough lefties, if that was still something the Cubs were looking to do in 2026.
Not only that, but even if the Cubs aren’t in on Okamoto, specifically, it’s just good to have another high-quality bat on the market, theoretically playing a position where the Cubs could be looking at guys like Alex Bregman or Eugenio Suarez.
Kazuma Okamoto is a career .277/.361/.521 hitter in the NPB, which is about 50% better than league average by wRC+ at FanGraphs. He has been a monster in particular the last three seasons, and although he’s not young, you could still be looking at several years of top-tier production if he transitions well to the States. It’s not MLB pitching he’s been facing, but you love all the indicators: Okamoto doesn’t strike out, he takes a lot of walks, he keeps the ball off the ground, and he hits for power.
For what it’s worth, Okamoto’s numbers in the last few years are just about comparable to Seiya Suzuki’s numbers when he departed the NPB, though Suzuki’s were a click better overall, and came with better peripherals. He was also three years younger at the time, so you would be projection more peak physical years.
Kazuma Okamoto against 93+ mph fastballs in his career .298 AVG (90 for 302)20 HR9.6 SwStr%80.2 Contact% t.co/O9463fDXTx
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) October 22, 2025Kazuma Okamoto's 2025 NPB percentiles (min. 200 PA) pic.twitter.com/tXV9fMhmIe
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) October 22, 2025Hence then, the article about japanese infielder kazuma okamoto will be posted at the same time as tatsuya imai was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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