Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto is familiar with playing multiple defensive positions, spending time at first and third base during his eight seasons in the NPB, as well as occasionally shifting to left field. And that versatility will likely carry over to his tenure in North America, now a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays, of course, highly covet versatile defenders, as most teams do these days. Whether it’s Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, Davis Schneider or Andrés Giménez, they pride themselves on being able to mix and match all over the diamond. That was a major element of the club’s DNA last season.

So, it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s one of the reasons they were drawn to Okamoto in free agency. That and, well, the middle-of-the-order power he brings as a former superstar with the Yomiuri Giants, who received six seasons of 30-plus home runs — including a career-high 41 in 2023.

When Okamoto was officially introduced at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday, fresh off signing his four-year, $60 million contract, neither he nor Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins tipped their hand regarding what the 29-year-old’s primary position would be next season. But they both hinted at the possibility of utilizing him in a utility role, something he enjoyed back in Japan.

Okamoto, currently listed as a third baseman by the Blue Jays, logged more innings at the hot corner (431) than any other position last season. That’s also where he won consecutive NPB Gold Gloves with the Giants from 2021-22. At the same time, many scouts agree that his fielding is better suited at first, where he earned more reps and won his third career Gold Glove in ’24.

Missing significant time due to a left elbow injury prevented Okamoto from seeing the outfield a season ago, limiting him to just 69 games on the year. But his defensive versatility also includes left field, a position he played sparingly during back-to-back seasons in 2018-19, and again in 2023-24.

With Clement capable of moving to second base and Barger to right field, Okamoto will likely spend most of the ’26 campaign at third, while occasionally filling in at first during Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s DH/rest days. Both could also swap positions on occasion, after the latter played 12 games at the hot corner last season — the most since his rookie campaign.

It’ll be interesting to see how much, if at all, the Blue Jays utilize Okamoto in left field next season. At the moment, barring any subtractions or additions, the club’s depth chart at that position includes Anthony Santander, Nathan Lukes, George Springer, Myles Straw and Schneider. That’s without mentioning prospects Joey Loperfido and Jonatan Clase, both of whom have one minor-league option remaining and will likely begin the year at triple-A Buffalo.

For a team all-in on returning to the World Series, playing time for all these players, including Okamoto, may ultimately come down to performance. Whoever’s bat is the hottest at a certain time could receive the most at-bats of that group. But those discussions remain ongoing amongst Toronto’s coaching staff.

Depending on how Okamoto performs, his role could range from everyday duties to serving as a platoon hitter versus left-handed pitching. However, if he makes a seamless transition to North America, the Blue Jays will want to ensure his bat stays in the lineup as often as possible, which could mean utilizing him in more of a utility role.