On the surface, Kazuma Okamoto seems like an odd fit for the Yankees given that he’s a third baseman and first baseman, but the construction of last year’s lineup showed the value of versatility.
Being able to utilize platoons kept the Yankees in games throughout the season, allowing them to win matchups that their starting nine would typically get overpowered by.
Cody Bellinger being able to play three outfield positions, Ben Rice splitting time at first base and catcher, and Jose Caballero being a pest off the bench who could be inserted into any position made Aaron Boone’s life a lot easier.
Kazuma Okamoto’s the best hitter in the NPB, and he’ll hit free agency with a chance to sign with an MLB team this winter, and as a player capable of playing the corner infield and outfield, he could be a perfect bat for this offense.
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The Offense Could Get a Big Boost if the Yankees Sign Kazuma Okamoto
Over the last three seasons, the Nippon Baseball League has seen a league-wide decline in offense, but Okamoto has remained an elite all-around bat.
He owns the second-highest wRC+ (178) and OPS (.929) among qualified hitters since 2023, as he blends a strong feel for contact with excellent pulled flyball rates.
Okamoto has also posted strong numbers against fastballs at-or-above 94 MPH, a key statistic to note since NPB hitters coming over to the United States have to adjust to higher velocity.
The ability to generate contact while having a high pull rate on flyballs leads me to believe he could post an above-average OPS for a first baseman immediately, which from the right-handed side is valuable for the Yankees.
Ben Rice should be the primary first baseman and play as much as possible, but over the course of a full 162-game season, we know that there’s room to get other hitters playing time.
Paul Goldschmidt had a ton of playing time despite losing his job to Ben Rice down the stretch because Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge both spent time on the IL.
Austin Wells, Ben Rice, and J.C. Escarra all caught for the Yankees throughout the season, and New York could align themselves to have an interesting rotation of players depending on the matchup.
Kazuma Okamoto can play 1B and Ben Rice can DH when Giancarlo Stanton is inevitably on the injured list, and when they’re at full-strength they can have Austin Wells catch exclusively against right-handed pitching.
Rice can catch against lefties, Okamoto can play first base, and Stanton can DH to give the Yankees even more firepower against lefties.
If an infielder is hurt, Kazuma Okamoto can play third base and keep Jose Caballero at either second base or shortstop, and that kind of roster flexibility is important to Brian Cashman.
Comparing Kazuma Okamoto to some recent hitters who came over from the NPB, there’s reason to believe he could be a firmly above-average hitter in the Major Leagues.
In terms of production, Okamoto compares to both Yoshida and Suzuki, who have been good hitters at the Major League level so far.
Seiya Suzuki is the most talented hitter of the group in my opinion, while Kazuma Okamoto’s better game power and raw power leads me to believe he could be a better hitter than Masataka Yoshida.
I can see Okamoto being a ~115 wRC+ hitter, which isn’t elite but certainly lenghtens a lineup and could become even better with time to establish himself in the big leagues.
The Yankees got a 103 wRC+ out of Paul Goldschmidt in 2025 and he was an incapable hitter against RHP, Okamoto is someone who can hold his own in right-on-right matchups and demolish lefties.
Knowing that Giancarlo Stanton will miss time every year means building a roster that can survive that loss, and if they were to bring back Cody Bellinger they shouldn’t stop there for offense.
Remaining flexible and malleable should remain a core component of this team if they retain Bellinger, and Kazuma Okamoto is exactly that for this team.