The Chicago White Sox are one of the more intriguing teams heading into the 2026 season. They made a lot of moves this offseason in an attempt to better their roster after losing 102 games last season. Chicago seemingly has some young stars that can surprise people this season, but one of them is projected to have a massive season in terms of their power. Let’s take a look at who it is.
Chicago White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami is projected to hit 30 home runs this season
Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan third baseman Munetaka Murakami (55) plays his position during the sixth inning against the USA at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
MLB’s David Adler wrote an article about some of the most outstanding player projections for the 2026 season. According to FanGraphs’ projection, Murakami is projected to have a 118 weighted runs created plus and hit 30 homers in his rookie season with the White Sox. Below is the explanation regarding the projection:
“Murakami was one of the most polarizing free agents of the offseason — the former Tokyo Yakult Swallows superstar was the most feared slugger in Japan, but there are questions about his contact ability. But Steamer thinks Murakami will have a strong debut season for the White Sox, projecting him for a 30 homers and to be a well-above-average hitter overall. His 118 wRC+ means “18% better than league average,” which is a better hitting projection than players like Elly De La Cruz (117), Mike Trout (116) and Christian Yelich (115), as well as his fellow NPB star Kazuma Okamoto (112), who’s joining the Blue Jays this season.”
In eight professional seasons, he has hit 265 career home runs over the course of 1,003 games, with a high of 56 homers in the 2022 season with the Yakult Swallows. He also is not the only hitter in the White Sox lineup that is predicted to have a massive season with their power numbers. It will be intriguing to see how Murakami is able to handle pitching in Major League Baseball.
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