Five stars from Japan and Korea MLB teams will fight over this offseason

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish and Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim are just some of the talented stars to come to MLB through the posting system in recent years. As teams look to upgrade their rosters this offseason, several current players in Japan's NPB and Korea's KBO will look to make the jump to the Major Leagues. 

Competition to sign each could be fierce. 

(Statistics include all games played through Friday.)

3B/1B Kazuma Okamoto | NPB's Yomiuri Giants 

The Giants have long been one of the NPB's most reluctant teams to post their players, but Okamoto will reach free agency following the 2026 season and seems intent on heading to MLB. Rather than risk losing him for nothing, there's a strong belief that the team will bend its policy and post the 29-year-old this offseason. MLB teams have been scouting him since at least 2023. 

Okamoto contributed a key home run against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland during the championship game of the last World Baseball Classic (Japan won 3-2). 

Okamoto has spent most of his 11-year career at third base, but has seen ample time across the diamond at first base, too, where some believe he's the better defender. The six-time All-Star has hit .275/.359/.518 over his career with 206 doubles and 244 home runs, leading the league three times. Despite missing three months after injuring his elbow in a collision on the bases earlier in the season, he's batting .312/.387/.559 with 11 HR and the lowest strikeout rate of his career over 230 PA. 

3B/INF Sung Mun Song | KBO's Kiwoom Heroes 

Song is something of a unique case, as he just agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Heroes in August (worth 12B won or roughly $8.6M USD). That deal contained language that won't prevent the team from posting him should he request it, which he's expected to do. Still, the new contract could serve as a benchmark that MLB teams will need to top to get him to sign. 

Primarily a third baseman, Song has hit .283/.348/.430 over his nine years in the KBO. The 29-year-old has posted career-highs in runs scored (94), doubles (33), home runs (33), stolen bases (24) and walks (66) this season. 

RHPs Tatsuya Imai and Kona Takahashi | NPB's Seibu Lions

Seibu has been among the NPB's most disappointing teams this season, and the Lions could be facing a potentially transformative offseason if they let both Imai and Takahashi leave for the majors. Both right-handers remain shy of the requisite service time to reach free agency, but posting them now will allow the Lions to avoid losing them for nothing while bringing in much-needed funds for new additions. Their younger ages — Imai is 27, while Takahashi is 28 — will only help their appeal to MLB teams. 

Imai — who reportedly has a pair of pitches that can reach the upper 90s, a rarity among Japanese pitchers — has been among the NPB's best arms this season, posting a career-low 1.67 ERA and a minuscule 0.892 WHIP over 145.2 IP with 162 strikeouts and 39 walks. 

Takahashi — more of a control pitcher who doesn't strike out many batters — has a solid 3.05 ERA over 130.0 IP with just 36 walks. An August report from Japan's Nikkai Sports indicated that scouts from the Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Mariners and Rangers had all been present at Takahashi's starts. 

3B/INF Munetaka Murakami | NPB's Yakult Swallows 

MLB teams — and fans — have been eagerly waiting for Murakami's posting ever since he challenged the NPB single-season home run record in 2022 (he finished with 56, four shy of Wladimir Balentien's record 60 in 2013). Another star of Japan's WBC roster, Murakami is expected to draw interest from multiple MLB teams and might be one of the best Japanese hitters to move to the majors in recent years. 

Murakami has been limited to just 41 games this season following a shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the year, but he's made the most of his playing time, hitting .284/.372/.709 with 19 home runs. The 25-year-old has spent most of his career at third base, but many scouts think that his future in the majors might be at first base. He has mashed 243 home runs and hit .274/.394/.551 over his eight seasons in the NPB.