The market for star Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto appears to be heating up. In a live stream with Bleacher Report, MLB Insider Jon Heyman listed six potential landing spots for Okamoto. Those six teams were the Angels, Pirates, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Cubs, and Diamondbacks.
Heyman notes those same teams are linked to free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. As Bregman’s market becomes clearer, we could see some of them pivot in a different direction at the position.
Okamoto, 29, was posted by the Yomiuri Giants on November 20. Heis an 11-year veteran in the Nippon Professional Baseball League, all with the Giants. In his career, he’s a .274 hitter with 277 home runs and a .856 OPS over 1,377 games. In 2025, he appeared in just 69 games, putting up a .327/.416/.598 slash with 15 homers.
Okamoto should be the next Japanese star to sign this offseason. Munetaka Murakami secured a two-year, $34 million deal with the Chicago White Sox on December 21. His 45-day negotiating window ends on January 2, so he’ll sign with a team in short order.
Why the Diamondbacks Would Pursue Kazuma Okamoto
The Diamondbacks have an opening at either corner infield spot to fit Okamoto in the lineup. Roster Resource projects Jordan Lawlar as Arizona’s starting third baseman in 2026. Blaze Alexander, who got the majority of the starts after the trade deadline, is another option.
The problem the team faces is that neither youngster is an ideal candidate to start at third. Lawlar was the organization’s top prospect entering 2025, but hit .182 in 28 games and was benched for poor defense in September. Alexander is the stronger defender of the two, but carries a 34% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate vs. right-handed pitchers.
General manager Mike Hazen’s seat is getting hotter, following back-to-back postseason misses. With 2026 being an important year for Hazen and the organization, they can’t afford to make bad gambles. That may be why they’d prefer the more experienced bat in Okamoto, even if it didn’t come in the major leagues.
Okamoto will come at a pretty hefty price, especially for the budget-conscious Diamondbacks. MLB Trade Rumors lists him 19th in their Top 50 Free Agents for 2025-26, projecting he’ll sign a four-year $64 million contract. Anthony Franco was the sole writer to predict that Okamoto would sign with the Diamondbacks.
Okamoto’s Fit with the Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks will likely slot Okamoto at third base, moving both Lawlar and Alexander into a utility role. Alexander appeared in six games in the outfield last season, starting three, and Lawlar played some center field in winter ball. MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert reports that the latter could split time between center and the infield next spring.
Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte will likely reprise their roles as the Diamondbacks’ middle-infield combo. It’s looking more likely that the club will shut down talk regarding Marte, and they’ll pivot to their other needs. At first base, they can do a platoon with Pavin Smith serving as the left-handed option. There’s no candidate to complete the platoon, although Ildemaro Vargas and Tim Tawa served in that role last season.
In the lineup, Okamoto projects to be the Diamondbacks’ cleanup hitter and primary run producer. With Perdomo, Marte, and Corbin Carroll in the top third of the lineup, he should see plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.
Should the Diamondbacks close the deal on Okamoto, it shifts their need to add a reliable closer to shore up their bullpen. That would help protect their investment in a middle-of-the-order bat.
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