Did you think all that Japanese baseball talent hit a pause once Roki Sasaki was LA-bound? Wrong! Seems like there are plenty of fish in the sea, and Japan has more than a handful of talented players- one of whose names has popped up again and again—Kazuma Okamoto. And if you haven’t heard, well, consider this your full primer on one of Japan’s most talented baseball players.

Okamoto, born on June 30, 1996, spent his professional career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. After 11 years of dominance, all-star appearances, and postseason heroics, he is taking his shot at the majors. He, alongside Kona Takahashi, has officially entered the MLB posting system—opening the door to 30 other teams to negotiate with him.

But before the frenzy starts, let’s understand a little background about him. And why MLB clubs are lining up for him, opening the door for all 30 teams to negotiate with him.

Kazuma Okamoto’s Net Worth

Okamoto’s exact earnings and net worth aren’t publicly known, which is not uncommon for Japanese players. But you can look at how much MLB teams would have to fork over to get him to sign.

Under the NPB-MLB posting agreement, the release fee for signing Kazuma Okamoto would be:

• 20% of the first $25 million of his MLB contract
• 17.5% of the next $25 million
• 15% of anything above $50 million
• Plus a 15% fee on any earned bonuses, escalators, or options

According to Jeff Passan, apparently, Okamoto ending up with a $50 million contract seems pretty realistic. This means the posting fee alone would climb to big figures. In short: Okamoto is about to get paid—and the Giants will too.

Kazuma Okamoto’s Nationality and Ethnicity

Okamoto was born in Gojo City, Nara Prefecture, and he is fully Japanese by nationality and ethnicity. Since his debut in 2015, he has been a stable player of NPB and has even worn the uniform of Team Japan on the world stage.

One of the major reasons Japanese fans love Okamoto isn’t just his production but also his behavior. And he was also in the World Baseball Classic, in case you missed his spotlight moment. In that championship game, he crushed a solo home run off Kyle Freeland of Team USA, and that was a turning point of Japan’s 3-2 win. He then went on to finish the tournament with

• .333 average
• 2 home runs
• 7 RBI
• 1.278 OPS

He also represented Japan in the 2024 Premier12. Earlier in his career, he also suited up for Japan in the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series and a 2019 exhibition series against Mexico.

His nickname is “The Young General,” which is a tribute adapted from legendary Giants manager Tatsunori Hara—and well, it does suit him well.

Kazuma Okamoto’s NPB Career

Okamoto’s NPB résumé is the kind that makes MLB scouts sit up straight.

At just 29 years old, he has:

• 248 career home runs
• Six straight 30+ HR seasons (2018–2023)
• A career slash line of .277/.361/.521
• Six NPB All-Star selections
  
  

He’s done all this while primarily playing first and third base. 2024 wasn’t his biggest power year yet; he hit just 27 homers, but even then, this is steady production. In 2025, though, things got more complicated, as an elbow injury caused by a collision with Hanshin Tigers infielder Takumu Nakano at first base limited him to 77 games. Even then, he still slugged 15 home runs and recorded a .992 OPS.

Does Kazuma Okamoto Have a Wife?

There is no public information confirming anything about his wife, girlfriend, or even a partner. It seems that Okamoto likes to keep his personal life extremely private, and the Japanese media is accustomed to this behavior.

Kazuma Okamoto’s MLB Posting 

On Oct. 22, 2025, the Yomiuri Giants made it official: Kazuma Okamoto is being posted for MLB free agency.

At his news conference, Okamoto mentioned, “I have decided to take on the challenge of playing in MLB through the posting system. I’m grateful to all the team officials and fans who respected my decision and gave me their support. I believe MLB is the best league in the world, and I’ve always wanted to play there. I’ve worked hard with that goal in mind.”

He will now enter a 45-day negotiating window, during which all 30 teams can make offers to him. If he doesn’t sign till January 4, then he will go back to the Giants for one more season, after which he will qualify for international free agency.

FOX Sports analyst Rowan Kavner ranked him No. 22 on his free-agent board, noting that he is not as young or powerful as Munetaka Murakami. However, he strikes out far less, and he offers a higher floor thanks to consistent production. Okamoto, honestly, is a great option for teams that need a middle-of-the-order bat without breaking the bank on the big numbers of Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber, Josh Naylor, or Eugenio Suárez–level prices.

Conclusion

Kazuma Okamoto is the kind of player that MLB teams dream of finding in the market. He is poised and motivated and stepping into MLB at a golden time. Whether he lands a major contract or ends up as a free agent remains to be seen.