“Munetaka Murakami is a better hitter than Shohei Ohtani” - Baseball analyst makes bold claim citing NPB record ahead of MLB posting

There is no other Shohei Ohtani, but maybe there is. Coming from his homeland, Ohtani's hitting prowess could be challenged by Munetaka Murakami, who received a big nod for his hitting capabilities.

Murakami has been officially posted by his NPB club, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, to sign in MLB. He has since drawn significant interest from several clubs already, with a nine-figure deal expected to be struck this offseason.

On Friday, Japanese correspondent Yuri Karasawa shared insights into Murakami and his early years playing professional baseball in Japan.

“He immediately raked in the minors in 2018," Karasawa said. "And then in his rookie year, he hit 36 home runs. So right away, it was clear this guy was something special, to hit that many homers as a teenager. By 2021, he was already on the Olympic team. Ever since turning 19 or 20, he’s been recognized as one of Japan’s rising stars. And he quickly surpassed his counterparts, Kiyomiya and Yasuda, in terms of raw production and power."

When discussing comparisons with Ohtani, Karasawa rated Murakami highly. He even claimed that he was a better hitter than the four-time MVP in NPB. Karasawa added:

“At the World Baseball Classic, some people suggested he may have experienced a kind of imposter syndrome being next to Ohtani, like, ‘I’m not as good as this guy.’ But in terms of pure power, you could argue Murakami has just as much as Ohtani. And certainly, in NPB, Murakami has been a better hitter than Ohtani was during his time there."

Yuri Karasawa shares defensive scouting details on Munetaka Murakami

During his media appearance, Yuri Karasawa also shed light on the defensive prowess of Munetaka Murakami. He said that while Murakami has played third base in Japan, here in MLB, it might be best if he plays at first or as a designated hitter.

“He’s been a third baseman for essentially his entire career because he played in the Central League, which, until 2027, did not have a designated hitter," Karasawa added. "So Murakami has essentially been forced to play defense. And as most scouting reports note, things like footwork, mobility, and range aren’t really there at third base. He projects much more as a first baseman, or even a DH."

In 2021, Murakami led the Central League with 39 home runs, 112 RBIs, and had a slash line of .278/.408/.566, which helped him win the league MVP on top of winning the Japan Series. In 2022, he had a breakout year, hitting 56 home runs, a single-season home-run record. He also represented Japan in the last edition of the World Baseball Classic.

Edited by Krutik Jain