The Miami Marlins head into the 2025-2026 offseason in a pretty good position compared to previous seasons. They have a promising young core to build from, with more prospects on the way in the near future, and had a good shot at the postseason until the last couple of weeks of the season.
It is clear that they have rapidly found their footing as a team, and now, it is just a matter of building around their current roster.
There are certainly a couple of holes to fill to be a contending team in the short term, and one to keep an eye on is the corner infield positions.
Connor Norby and Troy Johnston both had solid seasons to some extent, but neither of them particularly showcased themselves as long-term options at their positions either.
While the Marlins have not exactly been a team to splurge in free agency, especially overseas, there are a few options this year who could change their mindset. A player who would fit exceptionally well into their current offense is Kazuma Okamoto, who is set to post this offseason, according to Yahoo Sports Japan.
The 29-year-old corner infielder has a lot to like about his game, and already has experience playing at LoanDepot Park during the World Baseball Classic.
NPB news from earlier 🇯🇵🚨
Yomiuri Giants 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto will be posted for MLB teams this offseason.
Here’s is a WBC home run in 2023, a Spring Training one off Roki Sasaki and an NPB shot.
NPB Stats Career Stats: 277 HR | 872 RBIs | .274 AVG | .856 OPS | 5,010 AB pic.twitter.com/CngjuhGYCb
— World Baseball Network (@WorldBaseball_) October 22, 2025
Mar 16, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Yomiuri Giants first baseman Kazuma Okamoto (25) hits a single against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The large selling point for Miami picking up Okamoto would be his offensive consistency and output. He is not only a valuable contact hitter, but also displays solid power at the plate on occasion.
He had six straight seasons of 30+ home runs each year from 2018-2023, and has been a career .274 hitter in batting average. While his strikeout numbers have been high at times, he has improved both in 2024 and 2025 to a more reasonable rate compared to his walks.
His fielding is also a valuable asset, both at first base and third base. He has shown more consistent high-level play at first, but has also been above average at third; the vast majority of the time he has spent there.
A career .996 fielding rate at first and .967 at third displays this, and the number actually rises for the latter when just including NPB years to .977.
Overall, he is a truly outstanding player who has a lot to offer the MLB. While the Marlins may not be the most likely team in the running due to their occasional lack of spending, they could certainly ante up following a very strong 2025 season.