2026 Fantasy Baseball: Key Insights on NPB Stars Imai, Murakami, & Okamoto

Get ready, MLB fans and fantasy managers. There’s a trio of new high-profile NPB stars ready to take on the sport’s top league in 2026:

Tatsuya Imai, a high-strikeout starting pitcher coming off a career year with the Seibu Lions

Munetaka Murakami, a 25-year-old big-time power bat who cracked 56 home runs at just 22

and Kazuma Okamoto, longtime Yomiuri Giant great who can do it all at the plate.

The three have all signed with their teams and are gearing up to report to spring training in less than a month, bringing a high level of hype with them. In part due to their careers, in part because of NPB’s recent surge of top-level players entering the league like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shota Imanaga, Kodai Senga, and soon-to-be sophomore Roki Sasaki.

Let’s take a look at all three players’ NPB history, likelihood of a successful MLB transition, fit with their new park and lineup, value in 2026 fantasy baseball drafts, and fantasy rankings. And, as an added bonus, we’ll give a quick look at Sasaki and what can be expected from him in 2026 after a rollercoaster rookie year.

Tatsuya Imai (SP, RHP) Tatsuya Imai’s elite whiff rates and deep pitch mix support mid-rotation fantasy value with upside if command gains hold.© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Tatsuya Imai’s elite whiff rates and deep pitch mix support mid-rotation fantasy value with upside if command gains hold.© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Imai was thrust into NPB at just 20 years old in 2018 and went 5-6 with 70 K, a 4.97 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 4.86 FIP across 16 games and 15 starts. His command was a huge issue in that first year and one that continued to haunt him through 2021.

Come 2022, everything clicked. Imai got his command under control and improved YoY in nearly every important metric each season, capping off in 2025 where he finished his third-straight 10 W season with 178 K, a 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 2.01 FIP across 24 games and starts. All but his strikeouts were career bests (he had 187 K in 2024) and also featured career bests in K/9, BB/9, HR/9, K%, BB%, xFIP, HR/FB, Soft%, Hard%, and more. His 32% Whiff rate set the NPB record for best in a single season since the stat was first tracked in 2014.

Imai’s pitch selection features a mid-90s fastball that can cap out at 99 MPH, an elite slider with nasty movement helped by his sidearm delivery, a strong splitter, a changeup, and a curveball for a five-pitch mix. His velocity has also been on the rise over his last seasons in Japan.

MLB Transition Projections

Based on this track record, there’s good evidence to believe that Imai is set up well to succeed in MLB. His command issues are seemingly behind him, he makes hitters miss at an elite level with his movement, has a wide pitch selection, rarely walks batters, and could still see his velo improve for his already serviceable to strong fastball.

Per FanGraphs’ FGDC and OOPSY projections, Imai is predicted to finish 2026 with a 9-9 record across 26 starts with 145-149 K, a 4.37-4.40 ERA, a 1.39 WHIP, and a 4.28-4.52 FIP. Nothing to set the fantasy world ablaze, but still a respectable mid-rotation line.

Park and Team Fit for Fantasy

Imai told the world that he preferred to beat the Dodgers instead of joining them, signing a three-year, $54M deal with the Houston Astros and putting him in position to face them in the World Series if the stars align. Houston is a decent landing spot for Imai, as Daikin Park sits either perfectly average or pitcher-friendly in all but HR.

The Astros’ defense leaves something to be desired with their 21st-ranked 2 DRS in 2025, but he’ll slot in as a middle-rotation arm for a team with a strong track record of pitcher development. It may not be a perfect fit, but there’s a solid chance of Imai overperforming his projections on the Astros.

Munetaka Murakami (3B/1B, LHB) Munetaka Murakami brings legitimate 30-homer power to fantasy drafts, but elevated strikeouts and batting average risk cap his floor.

Munetaka Murakami brings legitimate 30-homer power to fantasy drafts, but elevated strikeouts and batting average risk cap his floor.

NPB HR Juggernaut

Though he played six games at age 18, Murakami’s first full season in NPB came at the still super-young age of 19. But to anyone watching, he may as well have been a seasoned veteran as he slugged 36 HR with 96 RBI, 76 R, and 5 SB, though paired with a not-so-sexy .231 AVG.

Since then, Murakami has only failed to slug 30+ HR in a full season once back in 2020 and has totaled 80+ RBI and 70+ R each year with three full seasons of a .270+ AVG. His biggest accomplishment came in 2022, when he set the record for most HR in a single season by a Japanese-born player with 56, falling just four shy of the overall single-season record. He also posted 134 RBI, 114 R, a .318 AVG, .501 wOBA, and a 225 wRC+ with 12 SB.

This season drove Murakami’s hype this offseason, but MLB teams showed less interest than expected for two key reasons: strikeouts and injuries.

Since his career year, Murakami’s K% has sat above 28%. That’s a serious red flag for front offices and should be for fantasy managers, as Japanese imports with strikeout issues tend to see their K% compound and worsen against MLB pitching. In 2025, his season was shortened to just 56 games due to an oblique injury, adding another layer of risk.

MLB Adjustment Projections

As mentioned, NPB batters who strike out a lot don’t have the smoothest transitions to MLB. Murakami is unique in that his power is simply too loud to ignore, but fantasy managers need to be aware of the potential drag on batting average.

FanGraphs’ FGDC and OOPSY projections have Murakami slated for 31-32 HR, 78-79 RBI, 74-76 R, and 9-12 SB, but with a concerning .221-.231 AVG.

Park and Team Fit for Fantasy

With his market colder than anticipated, Murakami signed a two-year, $34M deal with the White Sox. It’s not an ideal fit. Rate Field ranks 18th for HR friendliness, and the AL Central features only one hitter-friendly HR park in Target Field.

The White Sox also project as one of the weaker offenses in baseball after trading Luis Robert to the Mets. Murakami will see limited lineup protection and will be thrown directly into a high-variance role.

Kazuma Okamoto (3B, RHB) Kazuma Okamoto’s contact skills and lineup protection give him a higher fantasy floor than most NPB hitters entering MLB.Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Kazuma Okamoto’s contact skills and lineup protection give him a higher fantasy floor than most NPB hitters entering MLB.Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

(Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)NPB Dominance

Okamoto may not have posted the same peak numbers as Murakami and is four years older, but the longtime Yomiuri Giant has been a model of consistency.

In seven full NPB seasons, Okamoto has failed to hit 30+ HR just once (27 in 2024), failed to score 70+ R once (63 in 2022), and driven in fewer than 90 RBI only twice. He’s exceeded a .270 AVG in four seasons and dipped below .265 only once in a full campaign (.252 in 2022).

Most importantly, Okamoto limits strikeouts. He’s posted three seasons with a K% under 18% and only one season over 20%. Murakami, by comparison, has just one season below Okamoto’s career-worst mark.

MLB Adjustment Expectations

That contact skill helped Okamoto secure a four-year, $60M deal with the Blue Jays. While his ceiling is lower than Murakami’s, his floor is significantly more stable.

FanGraphs’ FGDC and OOPSY projections peg Okamoto for 24-25 HR, 74-75 RBI, 67 R, and 3 SB with a .233-.251 AVG.

Park and Team Fit for Fantasy

Toronto is close to an ideal landing spot. The Blue Jays finished fourth in wRC+ and third in wOBA in 2025. While they lost Bo Bichette and failed to sign Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, the lineup remains deep, and Okamoto helps offset Bichette’s lost production.

Rogers Centre is tied for ninth-most HR-friendly overall, and Okamoto will also benefit from frequent trips to Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, which ranks as the third-most righty-friendly HR park.

Bonus: Roki Sasaki Follow-Up Hype Roki Sasaki’s restored velocity and uncertain role make him a volatile fantasy pick with league-winning upside if he sticks in the rotation.Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Roki Sasaki’s restored velocity and uncertain role make him a volatile fantasy pick with league-winning upside if he sticks in the rotation.Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

(Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)

Though not a new import, Roki Sasaki spent much of 2025 in the Dodgers’ farm system. After struggling early due to a shoulder injury that sapped his velocity, Sasaki landed on both the 15- and 60-day IL.

His rehab stint in Triple-A was uneven, but his velocity returned late in the season. Sasaki rejoined the Dodgers as a reliever, recording three saves and playing a key role in their second straight World Series title.

Heading into 2026, Sasaki is expected to return to the rotation, though FanGraphs’ FGDC and OOPSY projections hedge, forecasting 19 starts across 41 games and 128 IP with 4-8 W, 122 K, a 4.19-4.20 ERA, and a 1.32-1.34 WHIP.

Fantasy Draft & Dynasty StrategyRedraft Value & Round Targets

All four players currently carry wide draft ranges. Their NFBC ADPs sit in the late rounds, but aggressive drafters have taken them as early as the mid rounds. Monitoring spring training performance will be critical in calibrating their final draft-day value.

Dynasty FYPD Placement

Imai, Murakami, and Okamoto should all be premium selections in 2026 dynasty first-year player drafts given their experience and NPB track records. Sasaki is ineligible, entering his second MLB season.

Final Rankings & Verdict

Imai profiles as a solid mid-rotation fantasy starter. Murakami and Okamoto make strong backup third basemen with starting upside depending on roster construction. Sasaki carries more role uncertainty but offers real breakout potential if he sticks in the rotation.

2026 Fantasy Baseball: Key Insights on NPB Stars Imai, Murakami, & Okamoto

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