One year ago, the Chicago White Sox shocked the baseball world when they signed Japanese free agent star Munetaka Murakami, marking the first free agent the team signed directly from Japan in 20 years. With Chicago clearly making an effort to be more involved on the Pacific Rim, it’s very possible Murakami isn’t the last premiere Japanese free agent the team will target in upcoming years. With three players posted by their NBP teams this offseason and expected to sign with MLB clubs before the lockout, let’s take a look at each and see if they’d be a target for the White Sox.
3B/OF Teruaki Sato
For the second straight year, the biggest name expected to make the leap to MLB is slugger Teruaki Sato. The 27-year-old lefty was a first round pick in the NPB draft in 2020. He slugged 24 home runs as a rookie in Japan, demonstrating strong power potential, but struck out 38% of the time. As Sato matured, he took another step forward in the power department, slugging 40 home runs in 2025 and 39 in 2026 and slightly improving his strikeout rate. Sato has primarily played third base in Japan, but much like Murakami a season ago, there are questions about whether he’ll remain there once he reaches MLB. As a prospect, he brings 30-homer upside with the ability to drive the ball to all fields, but there’s concern about his contact rate and defensive position. Sound familiar? It’s many of the same traits folks saw in Murakami. That is precisely why I don’t think the White Sox are a good fit for Sato. He’ll likely land a contract close to or exceeding $100 million, and I just don’t think the White Sox need to be paying that for a player that profiles very similarly to someone already on their roster.
Verdict: Avoid
RHP Kaima Taira
While Teruaki Sato was one of the most exciting prospects coming up in Japan, Taira was not as heralded, particularly due to his role as a reliever. He posted excellent numbers in his first three big league seasons in the bullpen and became a starter for the 2023 season. Despite good numbers, Taira moved back to the bullpen in 2024 and even got a stint as a closer in 2025. During his age-26 season in 2026, Taira got another shot in the rotation and led the NPB with a 1.36 ERA, and he’ll now make the transition to the US. Taira features a five-pitch mix headlined by a fastball that can reach the upper-90s, a cutter, sweeper, splitter, and changeup. The biggest question about his future in the league is his size. At just 5-foot-8, he doesn’t have a traditional starter’s frame, and there’s considerable risk that he has to move to the bullpen. Because of that, I don’t expect him to get a huge contract, and he could be a steal if he can remain in the rotation and his elite stuff plays against MLB hitters. I think he’s worth a flyer for the right price.
Verdict: Target
This is Kaima Taira. He is 5-foot-8, 220 pounds and throws up to 100 mph. He also might be the best starting pitcher available this winter outside of Tarik Skubal. More on him, Teruaki Sato (the class’ best hitter) and Hiromi Itoh: https://t.co/cOHKPO8tDn pic.twitter.com/yHTSuY7Zc7
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 10, 2026
RHP Hiromi Itoh
Like Sato, Hiromi Itoh was a first-round pick in the NPB draft in 2020. He immediately became a workhorse in the rotation for the Nippon-Ham Fighters, pitching at least 140 innings in each of his six NPB seasons. In addition to his durability, Itoh performed well, posting an ERA under 3.50 every season. His best season came in 2025, where he threw a career-high 196.2 innings with a 2.52 ERA and 195 strikeouts, taking home the Sawamura Award, which is the NPB equivalent of the Cy Young. Itoh took a slight step back in 2026, with an ERA of 3.18 and a strikeout rate declining a bit. His fastball topped out at just 93 this past season and sat closer to 91-92, leading to some concerns about whether his arsenal will play against tougher hitters. He has a deep pitch arsenal that could help him succeed despite limited velocity. While Taira is the higher-upside option due to his stuff, Itoh is more of a high-floor guy, and I’m a bit concerned that he won’t be able to miss enough bats at the big league level. If the White Sox are going to pursue a pitcher from Japan, I’d lean Taira over Itoh.
Verdict: Avoid
Add us as a preferred source on Google