Overview

• David Stearns attended a Tokyo Yakult Swallows game at Meiji Jingu on August 12 to scout Munetaka Murakami in person.
• Murakami set the NPB single-season record for native players with 56 homers in 2022 and has surpassed 220 career homers with a .394 on-base percentage.
• Injuries limited his 2025 season to 27 games, during which he recorded six homers and 13 RBIs, prompting more cautious evaluation.
• Scouts project him as a .240–.260 hitter in MLB with 30-home-run power, below-average defense at third base and competence at first base.
• Any offseason pursuit would factor in his anticipated end-of-season posting, the Mets’ infield depth and Pete Alonso’s expiring contract.