Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB) has produced some of Major League Baseball's (MLB) biggest superstars. In 1964, Masanori Murakami, nicknamed Mashi, became the first Japanese-born baseball player to make the move from NPB to MLB. He was a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants for two seasons. Before his MLB debut, he pitched in the NPB for two seasons. He would then go back to the NPB and pitch for 16 years before retiring.
Notable players who have jumped from the NPB to MLB are Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Hideo Nomo, Masahiro Tanaka, Munetaka Murakami, and Shohei Ohtani. Everyone knows what the Hobby market has done for players like Shohei Ohtani, arguably the best player in baseball today. People have seen what Munetaka Murakami's market has done, coming over from Japan and having instant success with the Chicago White Sox.
The next big player that people should keep an eye on is Teruaki Sato, coming off a Triple Crown season in the NPB. Next MLB season, Sato will look to join his next team. Here's a look at his market today.
2025 EPOCH Authentic Autograph /39 PSA 10
Sato is coming off the best season of his career in the NPB. He hit 39 home runs, drove in 106 runs, and hit .306. Those numbers won him the Triple Crown award, which in any league is quite a feat. The highest sale for any of his cards comes from a PSA 10, 2025 EPOCH autograph, numbered to 39, and it sold for $2,450 on August 19, 2026.
2019 Panini Stars & Stripes Autograph Patch /13
With the success, on the field and in the hobby, of Munetaka Murakami, it appears people do not want to miss out on the next big player. His last two seasons in the NPB have been great. The year before this Triple Crown season, he hit 40 home runs and drove in 102 runs. The second-highest sale for any of his cards was $2,200 on Jul 8, 2026.
2021 BBM Hanshin Tiger Rookies & Stars RC Auto /39 PSA9
Sato should get a look from most big-market teams. The two teams in New York could definitely use the bat, and the teams on the West Coast will have the advantage of him being close to home, or as close to home as he can be. The third-highest sale for any of his cards was $2,000 on July 8, 2026.
2021 Topps Rookie Card NPB Hanshin Tigers #N16
Currently, people can get his 2021 Topps NPB rookie card for roughly $25, the Topps Chrome for $50, and the Topps Chrome Refractor for $150. These market prices are risky for two reasons: if there is a strike in MLB and Sato hasn't played a game in MLB yet. The other side of that is if he helps a team like the Yankees win a World Series, those prices appear to be cheap.
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