Another international sweepstakes awaits this winter, as Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami will be posted by his NPB team, the Yakult Swallows. He'll be available for all 30 MLB teams to bid on, but the New York Mets have already emerged as an early favorite.

President of baseball operations David Stearns traveled to Japan earlier this year to watch the power-hitting infielder play. He did not disappoint, hitting a walk-off two-run home run against the Yokohama DeNa Baystars.

Murakami, 25, was limited by injuries in 2025, but still showed elite power. He hit 24 home runs with 52 RBI in 69 games, a 162-game pace of 56 home runs and 122 RBI.

He had hit 30 or more home runs in five of his previous six seasons, including a monstrous 56-homer, 134-RBI campaign in 2022.

The wrinkle in his g

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