The 2025-26 offseason has yet another strong crop of Japanese players that are available in free agency -- after having been posted by their respective Nippon Professional Baseball clubs -- and are set to play in Major League Baseball next season.

Three main players are drawing the most attention from MLB teams: right-handed starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai and infielders Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto .

Let's break down what to expect from each in 2026 and which teams could sign them.

Tatsuya Imai, RHP

The 27-year-old projects as a third starter -- think an ERA in the mid-3.00s -- but there's still some risk for him to even hit that projection since the big leagues are still a step up from Japan's NPB.

Imai is not that big, standing 5-foot-11, and though he has above-avera

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