Japanese players are making an impact in MLB and continue to transition every year. The first Japanese-born player to make his MLB debut was Masanori Murakami, who joined the San Francisco Giants in 1964 . Since then there have been a few World Series champions, like Hideki Matsui and Shohei Ohtani and two MVPs, Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani. For the first time ever, there was a Japanese-born player inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame.
The most intriguing player that will be posted in 2026 is Munetaka Murakami. Every team in need of a power hitting corner infielder could be in the market. Players who are lucky enough to play in both the MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) have the luxury of having two separate rookie cards. Here’s a look at the highest rookie card sales from some of the world’s biggest stars from NPB and MLB.
Ichiro Suzuki – NPB rookie card – 1993 / MLB rookie card – 2001
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Ichiro started playing in Japan in 1992 and in 1993 had his first professional rookie card. There were three separate companies that manufactured his card but most notable was BBM. The highest sale for his that card was in March 2024 for $18,300 at Goldin Auctions.
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Ichiro played in the MLB from 2001 to 2019 and was inducted into the hall of fame in 2025. His highest sold rookie card is the 2001 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Autographed /250 PSA 10. This card sold for $207,400 in October 2023.
Shohei Ohtani – NPB rookie card – 2013 / MLB rookie card – 2018
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Ohtani made his NPB debut in 2013. He played right field for the Ham Fighters. He had many rookie cards from the NPB, both pitching and hitting, but the highest sold was in June 2025 for $37,820.
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Ohtani is coming off a historic season, becoming the first player to have 50 stolen bases and 50 homeruns in a single season, earning him his third MVP. His most expensive rookie card is the 2018 BGS 10 Black Label 2018 Bowman Chrome orange refractor autograph and it sold in November 2024 for $533,140.
Munetaka Murakami – NPB rookie card – 2018 / MLB rookie card tbd
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Murakami has been playing in the NPB since 2018. He holds the single season record for most homeruns by a Japanese-born player with 56 in 2022. His highest sale for his rookie card was $4,100 in May 2024. Many teams will be trying to sign Murakami and collectors should be on the lookout for his MLB rookie card in 2026.
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