WBC 2026: Team Japan players who could be MLB’s next stars

Three years ago, Japan toppled the United States to win the World Baseball Classic thanks to the heroics of Shohei Ohtani, punctuated by his strikeout of Mike Trout to seal the victory. Ohtani was the star of the show, but he wasn’t the only one. Several of his teammates, well-known names in Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball, used the stage to introduce themselves to American baseball fans while making major contributions to this championship. And most of them have since made the jump to Major League Baseball.

Outfielder and designated hitter Masataka Yoshida went 9-for-22 with two home runs and 13 RBI weeks before starting his first season with the Boston Red Sox. Third baseman Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the Chicago White Sox in December, hit the double in the semifinals against Mexico.

On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings in his only outing in less than a year before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers and receiving the largest free agent contract awarded to a pitcher. He had a herculean postseason performance in Los Angeles’ second straight World Series in October.

Roki Sasaki, a 2023 WBC team prodigy, is also a Dodger. Shota Imanaga, who pitched three games and started one, made the National League All-Star team as a 30-year-old rookie for the Chicago Cubs in 2024. Even left-handed reliever Yuki Matsui, who only pitched one inning in the 2023 WBC, signed a five-year contract with the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2024 season.

Although the Japanese NPB talent in this WBC won’t match the level of the 2023 team, several NPB stars could emerge in the knockout stage – and possibly leave for the MLB.

Here’s a look at those players and the current big leaguers they compare themselves to, starting with those expected to become MLB free agents sooner rather than later.

Next offseason

RHP Hiromi Itoh

Age: 28
The NPB team: Japanese ham fighters
MLB Roster: Sonny Gray

Itoh is expected to become the next Japanese star pitcher to make the jump to the majors, and clubs are preparing for him to be part of the free agent mix next offseason. Last season, the 5-foot-9 right-hander won the Sawamura Award — the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award — by going 14-8 with a 2.52 ERA and leading the league with 195 strikeouts and 196⅔ innings.

He throws seven pitches, but primarily relies on a fasterball that touches 96 mph, a sweeper and a splitter. Itoh teamed up with Los Angeles Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi in Japan’s 8–6 pool victory over Korea, allowing two runs on one hit (a home run) with six strikeouts and no walks in three innings.

An American League talent evaluator said he expects Itoh to be a “high-end” free agent with many suitors.

“A modest but proven track record of sustainability,” said the talent evaluator. “He should continue to strike out MLB hitters while allowing very few walks.”

3B/OF Teruaki Sato

Age: 27
The NPB team: Hanshin Tigers
MLB Roster: Ryan O’Hearn

Similar to Itoh, MLB teams are preparing for Sato to leave for the upcoming MLB offseason, and he is expected to generate a lot of interest. Sato, who hit a home run off Blake Snell in an exhibition game against the Dodgers last year, was the best hitter in an extremely pitcher-friendly NPB in 2025. He hit 40 homers — eight more than runner-up and former big leaguer Franmil Reyes and 17 more than the third-highest total. He posted a .924 OPS – 63 points higher than second-place Reyes.

“He has tremendous power and he’s gotten progressively better at the plate in recent years,” one National League scout said. “Sato has often talked about coming. He’s intriguing.”

Sato started only one pool game in Tokyo – Japan’s 9-0 win over the Czech Republic – in right field. He appeared in the other three games as a pinch hitter and also played third base. He is 2 for 6 with two doubles, a walk and an RBI.

Future years

LHP Hiroya Miyagi

Age: 24
The NPB team: Orix buffaloes
MLB Roster: Framber Valdez

Miyagi is only 5-7 years old, but he has become a premier pitcher in NPB who has shown himself capable of handling a heavy workload. The southpaw posted a 2.39 ERA over 150⅓ innings last season. He has logged at least 141⅔ innings in each of the last five seasons with a career ERA of 2.48. Miyagi has a fastball in the low 90s and doesn’t miss many bats, instead relying on his command and pitching mix to limit damage.

“He’s a small guy but he’s really competitive,” the recruiter said. “He throws like he’s 6-3.”

RHP Hiroto Takahashi

Age: 23
The NPB team: Chunichi Dragons
MLB Roster: Michael Keller

Although Itoh won the Sawamura Award last season, Takahashi might just be the best pitcher in NPB who has yet to join the MLB. Bigger than Itoh and Miyagi but still listed at just 6-0, the right-hander’s fastball sits in the mid-90s, but it’s straight and doesn’t produce much whiff. His splitter and cutter, however, miss bats at an elite rate for NPB.

Takahashi dominated the overwhelmed Czech lineup to close out pool play, allowing two hits in 4⅔ innings with five strikeouts. He is eligible to pitch again in the semifinals if Japan reaches that level.

“Takahashi has the biggest ceiling, but we’re all waiting for him to make the next big leap,” the scout said.

LHP Chihiro Sumida

Age: 26
The NPB team: Seibu Lions
MLB Roster: Danny Coulombe

Another southpaw standing well under 6 feet — he’s listed at 5-9 — Sumida posted a 2.65 ERA in 159⅔ innings last season. He came out of the bullpen against Australia and was dominant, giving up one unearned run in three innings with seven strikeouts and zero walks.

RHP Atsuki Taneichi

Age: 27
The NPB team: Chiba Lotte Marines
MLB Roster: Christian Javier

A starter for the Marines with a 2.64 ERA in 24 starts last season, Taneichi was used as a reliever in the WBC. The 6-foot right-hander recorded two scoreless innings with five strikeouts and no walks in pool play.

Could stay in Japan

BY Shota Morishita

Age: 25
The NPB team: Hanshin Tigers
MLB Roster: Matt Vierling

2B Shugo-Maki

Age: 28
The NPB team: Yokohama DeNA BayStars
MLB Roster: Zack Gelof

We’ll lump Morishita and Maki together because they are position players whose motivation for moving to the MLB is unclear.

Morshita established himself last season as one of the elite hitters in powerless NPB. His 23 home runs were tied for third while he was one of five players with an OPS of at least .800. He made his only WBC start in left field against Czechia and is 1 for 6 with a walk in the tournament.

Maki, Japan’s starting second baseman, was one of five NPB hitters with at least an .800 OPS last season (he finished at .800). He hit 16 homers despite being limited to 93 games after undergoing thumb surgery in August.

“They can both hit and have pop,” the scout said. “That said, they’re probably more bench players. Not a lot of defensive value.”

Probably stay in Japan

BY Kensuke Kondoh

Age: 32
The NPB team: SoftBank Falcons
MLB Roster: Masataka Yoshida

Kondoh, one of NPB’s most accomplished hitters, could have moved to MLB years ago but remained in Japan. And there’s a good chance he finishes his career in NPB as he enters his age-32 season after signing a seven-year deal with SoftBank in December 2022. Kondoh underwent back surgery last April and was then limited to 77 games in 2025. He produced when he was on the field, hitting .301 with a .903 OPS and 10 home runs.

Kondoh has finished second or third in his three WBC starts, all in right field, and is 2-for-12 in the tournament after hitting .346 with a 1.115 OPS during the 2023 WBC Championship in Japan.

“He looks like Yoshida,” the scout said. “I really feel like when he saw Yoshida’s struggle to stand out, it made him think. There’s not a lot of defense, and there’s not a lot of power. He can really hit, but he took the NPB salary and the move to the top franchise, instead.”