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5 NPB players the Blue Jays can pursue this off-season
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Photo credit: © Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Nov 18, 2025, 14:30 ESTUpdated: Nov 18, 2025, 14:36 EST
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There are a handful of players who could find their way from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was reported that Tatsuya Imai was posted, meaning he has to sign by Jan. 4. On Saturday, Kazuma Okamoto will be posted, giving him until Jan. 8 to sign. Along with Munetaka Murakami (Dec. 22 deadline), these three players make up notable players who’ll come to North America this off-season.
Moreover, two former Toronto Blue Jays pitchers could return to MLB. Let’s take a look at five notable NPB players who could play in MLB this season, as well as whether they fit on the Blue Jays roster.

Tatsuya Imai

The Blue Jays have been linked to Tatsuya Imai in recent times, and for good reason. The 27-year-old has spent his entire eight-season NPB career with the Saitama Seibu Lions. Last season was a career-best year for the right-handed pitcher, as he had a 1.92 ERA and 2.01 FIP in 163.2 innings pitched, with a 27.8 K% and 7 BB%. It’s worth noting that NPB is in the midst of a deadball era.
Imai throws a mid-90s fastball and wicked slider, as well as a splitter to lefties. The fit is clear, the Blue Jays’ starters were in the middle of the pack in terms of ERA, and Imai would slot in somewhere in the middle of their rotation at worst.
It’s also worth noting that, unlike Dylan Cease, Michael King, Ranger Suárez, or Framber Valdez, Iami doesn’t come attached with the loss of a draft pick.

Munetaka Murakami

No one hits home runs like Munetaka Murakami. He broke the NPB record for the most home runs in a season back in 2022, slashing .318/.458/.710 with 56 homers in 612 plate appearances. Murakami’s power numbers declined in 2023 and 2024, hitting just 31 and 33 home runs, respectively.
Murakami’s 2025 season was injury-filled, but when healthy, the 25-year-old first baseman/third baseman slashed .273/.379/.663 with 22 home runs in just 224 plate appearances for a 210 wRC+.
Unlike Imai, he isn’t really a fit for the Jays. Murakami’s long-term fit is at first base or designated hitter. Not just that, but he strikes out a ton, and his hit tool isn’t great.

Kazuma Okamoto

Like Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto is capable of playing both first base and third base, but his long-term outlook is first. Okamoto doesn’t have the same power as Murakami, but he hit 41 home runs in 2023 and reached the 30 home run mark in his first six seasons in NPB. 
The 29-year-old hit just 27 home runs in 611 plate appearances and also spent a portion of the 2025 season injured. Overall, he slashed .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs in 293 plate appearances, finishing the year with a 210 wRC+.
Okamoto is more of a fit than Murakami because the potential to be an okay big league third baseman is still there. He also has a much better hit tool, while having an above-average power tool. The drawback is that Okamoto is three years older than Murakami. Still, it’d be wiser for the Jays to pursue someone like Kyle Tucker.

Foster Griffin

Foster Griffin was drafted 28th overall by the Kansas City Royals in 2014, but has limited big league experience, pitching just eight innings before moving to Japan. In 2022, Griffin pitched two innings for the Jays, where he didn’t give up a run and struck out two batters.
Since his tenure with the Blue Jays, Griffin has transitioned to being a full-time starter. In his first season, the left-handed pitcher had a 2.75 ERA and 2.49 FIP in 121 innings pitched. The 2024 season saw Griffin post a 3.01 ERA and 2.23 FIP in 116.2 innings pitched, while he had a 1.62 ERA and 1.78 FIP in 78 innings pitched in 2025.
As for a fit, reuniting with Griffin makes sense if he returns to the bullpen, but it’d be hard to see him starting in the Blue Jays’ rotation. That goes for the next pitcher as well.

Anthony Kay

Another former Blue Jay, Anthony Kay, was acquired before the 2019 trade deadline from the New York Mets for Marcus Stroman. Kay didn’t find much success in his big league career, posting a 5.59 ERA and 4.86 FIP in 85.1 innings pitched before heading to Japan.
In his first season, he had a 3.42 ERA and 2.84 FIP in 136.2 innings pitched, winning the Japan Series with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. In his second season with the team, Kay’s ERA improved to 1.74 with a 2.55 FIP in 155 innings pitched.
Just like Foster, bringing Kay back as a reliever could make sense, but he’s pitched the last two seasons as a starter and will probably find that opportunity on another team in MLB.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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