Munetaka Murakami Fantasy Stats

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami went 1-for-2 with a home run and two walks during his MLB debut on Thursday afternoon. The White Sox took a tough 14-2 loss to the reigning NL Central Champion Milwaukee Brewers, but Murakami was one of the few bright spots on the roster. The 26-year-old slugger would hit his first MLB long ball in the ninth frame. Murakami has spent his entire professional career overseas in the NPB before joining the White Sox this winter. Last season, Murakami hit .244 but continued to flash high-end power, launching 33 home runs and posting a .379 OPB. In 2022, Murakami enjoyed the best season of his professional career, launching 56 home runs with a .318/.458/.710 line. While his batting average may remain low, Murakami possesses high-end raw power and should contend for a 30-HR campaign with an everyday role in the Chicago starting nine.

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami is slated to have a starring role to begin his debut season in the major leagues and could emerge as one of the game's top power hitters. Murakami has spent his entire professional career overseeing in the NPB and consistently flashed elite power. He enjoyed his best season back in 2022 when he launched an eye-catching 56 home runs. Since 2023, Murakami has hit at least 30 home runs in two seasons and was on pace to meet that mark once again in 2025, but he only appeared in 56 games. However, in this short stint, Murakami hit 22 long balls while holding a .273 AVG. The lone knock on his profile is his high strikeout rate that has sat above 28.0% in each of his last three seasons. In spring training, Murakami held a .276/.323/.448 line with a home run, but struck out at a 25.8% rate. While his value could drop in points leagues that punish high strikeout hitters, he does draw walks at an impressive rate, which can offset his strikeout totals. Given that he is slated to see an everyday role in the Chicago starting lineup, the rookie slugger possesses 30-HR upside if he can make a quick adjustment ot major-league pitching. He is worth starting in all 12+ team leagues in the opening week of the season.

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami is expected to get some run at third base over the course of the season, per manager Will Venable. Chicago's skipper stated that the Japanese slugger will play mostly first base, though, as the complementary pieces around him fit better that way. The 26-year-old's main position over the last few seasons has been the hot corner while playing for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), however, he played mostly first base during his first two years in the NPB (2019-20). He's eligible for both positions in Yahoo! leagues. The left-handed slugger is known for some big power that also comes with a lot of swing and miss, so he represents a high-risk, high-reward lottery ticket toward the end of 2026 fantasy drafts. Murakami is currently ranked 222 overall in RotoBaller's latest rankings, right around his NFBC ADP of 220.