"Munetaka Murakami hit 36 homers as a 19-year-old in 2019, then set the NPB single-season record with 56 dingers three years later. Contract projections ranged as high as $180 million over eight years, and even the most conservative estimate had him earning $80 million for five years. But as concerns over his defense and whiff rate overcame the desire for what at least one exec believes is 90-grade power - which is to say Kyle Schwarber levels - Murakami's market cratered."
"That's why, rather than heading back to Japan, he settled for a deal with the White Sox for $34 million over two years. Jeff Passan was first to report the agreement, which is a tremendous coup for the South Side. At just 25 years old, Murakami gets the chance to prove himself and earn a much bigger payday at an age when most players are getting their first crack at free agency."
"Whether he's playing third or first, the lefty-batting Murakami brings elite exit velocity to the heart of an order brimming with you talent. And with the No. 1 overall pick in next summer's draft, the Sox can keep adding impact talent. I've been pretty critical of the way they've been running things on the South Side, but this has the makings of a rebirth that should be highly entertaining. Of course, many of us thought that same thing 10 years ago."
Munetaka Murakami exploded onto the scene with 36 homers at age 19 and an NPB single-season record of 56 homers three years later. Initial contract projections ranged up to $180 million, with conservative estimates near $80 million, but defensive issues and a high whiff rate severely depressed his market. Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox at age 25, providing him a chance to earn a larger payday later. The White Sox acquire a high-upside, lefty power bat with elite exit velocity at low risk while retaining roster and draft flexibility.
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