Just like the major leagues with the number of young prospects making an impact in the 2016 season the Nippon Professional League (NPB) has seen a number of young players making an impact for their teams. It will be some time before these players are posted as the $20 million posting price would not cover the losses these teams would incur with attendance and merchandise sales. Some of these players myworld has not seen play or have very little information on them except their stats, but the numbers they have put up have been promising. In fact, it could be argued that the best player in baseball right now is playing in Japan and not the major leagues.

1. Shohei Otani RHP (Nippon Ham Fighters) - No player since Babe Ruth has won in double digits as a pitcher and hit double digits in homeruns in the same year as Otani did in 2014. He has a fastball that hits three digits and a line drive swing that drives balls 400 feet. This year he competed in the All Star homerun derby and won. A blister has prevented him from pitching where he is 8-4 with a 2.02 ERA. He has struck out 140 hitters in just 116 innings, giving up just 78 hits. The blister has not prevented him from hitting where he bats in the number three spot as the DH, hitting .343 with 16 homeruns in just 245 at bats, or a homerun every 15 at bats. He does not qualify for the batting title because their manager does not play him the day before he pitches. Otani has informed major league teams that if he plays in the major leagues the team will have to use him as both a hitter and a pitcher. This would not be a problem if he can win 20 games and hit 30 homeruns something no major league has ever done but Shohei certainly has the potential to do.

2. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo OF (DeNA Yokohama Bay Stars) - At 24 years old he is having a break out season. Not that his previous two seasons were bad, hitting over .300 with 20 plus homeruns. This year Yoshitomo has already hit 35 homeruns, more than anyone in the NPB and his average is .328. His OPS is an impressive 1.131 with 82 RBIs in just 100 games. This is his seventh year in the NPB so he made his debut with the Bay Stars as an 18 year old, though only four of those seasons will be as a full time player. Don’t know what his defense is like but in his seven years he has only stole four bases, so he appears not to be fleet of foot. What he does do well is hit in the clutch with three walk off hits this year and four in his career. Not a lot of major leaguers have achieved four walk off hits prior to their 25th birthday.

3. Tetsuto Yamada 2B (Yakult Swallows) - A back problem has kept him out of the lineup these last couple days, preventing him from keeping pace with Tsutsugo for the NPB homerun crown. Last year Yamada was a 30/30 man with 38 homeruns and 34 stolen bases. He appears to be on pace to repeat his 30/30 accomplishments with 33 homeruns and 27 stolen bases. With the 61 steals he has only been caught six times, which could be a poor reflection of the Japanese catchers, or the pitchers trying to hold the baserunners. Hitting homeruns and stealing bases in bunches is not all Yamada does. His .329 average matches what he hit last year. About the only weak point in his game is his defense is not considered a strong suit for second base.

4. Shintaro Fujinami RHP (Hanshin Tigers) - When Otani and Fujinami were teammates on the 18 and under Japanese team Fujinami was thought to be the better pitcher. More teams drafted him number one than Otani during the NPB draft where all teams can select any player number one and the winner of the pick if more than one team chooses a player is determined by lottery. Fujinami is still a premier pitcher but his fastball only hits 95. He does strikeout more than one hitter per innings pitched but is not near as dominant as Otani. His ERA is at 3.23. His manager used him for 161 pitches in one game this year. At 6′5″ inches he stands a couple inches taller than Otani. Last year is 215 strikeouts led all Central League pitchers.

5. Takahiro Norimoto RHP (Rakuten Golden Eagles) - Rakuten has given the major leagues Masahiro Tanaka and Hisashi Iwakuma. Perhaps Norimoto will be the third Rakuten pitcher to wear a major league uniform. Rakuten has not been a good team since the departure of Tanaka but Norimoto has been their ace pitcher with a career 49-35 record. His ERA has gotten better in each of his four years in the NPB. This year he is 10-6 with a 2.56 ERA. Not as overpowering as Otani or Fujinami but he does have swing and miss stuff with 200 or more strikeouts the last two years, more than any other pitcher in the Pacific League and 157 in 144 innings this year. His fastball can hit the mid-90s but at 5′10″ he lacks the tall pitcher’s frame of Otani and Fujinami. In an exhibition game against major league hitters after the 2014 season Norimoto pitched five perfect innings in what resulted in a combined no hitter. There were six major league All Stars in the lineup that could not hit Norimoto.

6. Yasuaki Yamasaki RHP (Yokahama Bay Stars) - At 22 years old he became the closer for the Bay Stars. He won the Central League rookie of the year last year saving 37 games with a 1.92 ERA. This year he has not been quite as effective with a 3.77 ERA. Command issues appear to be a problem this year with more walks in less innings. This has resulted in a few more dingers hit against him. He is not a big guy as well standing only 5′10′.

7. Seiya Suzuki OF (Hiroshima Carp) - He turns 22 this month and is already in his fourth NPB season. The 2016 season has been his first opportunity to start and he has been taking advantage of it. His .319 batting average, 17 homeruns and 72 RBIs has vaulted the Carp into first place in the Central Division.

8. Yusei Kikuchi LHP (Seibu Lions) - He was one of the first Japanese players to create controversy prior to Shohei Otani by announcing his intent to play major league baseball and discouraging Japanese teams from drafting him. He held talks with a number of major league teams but ultimately stayed in Japan after being offered a $1 million bonus by Seibu. He stands 6′0″ with good velocity on his fastball (mid-90s prior to shoulder injury). This is now his sixth season in the NPB (though not all of them have been complete) and at 25 he seems to be putting it all together. He is 8-5 with a 2.61 ERA, his best season since 2013, when a shoulder injury ended his season early and has stunted his success the next couple years. Not a big strikeout pitcher like the three others before him, but he does throw lefthanded.

9. Kenta Imamiya SS (Softbank Hawks) - One of the better defensive shortstops in the NPB. His bat may not be strong enough to hit major league pitching. This year has been his best offensive year with a .243 average and a .372 slugging percentage. His 8 homeruns are a career high. The Japanese may love him more for his ability to bunt, averaging about 50 sacrifice bunts per year. In high school he pitched and showed a fastball that hit the mid-90s, so he has the arm to play shortstop.

10. Kodai Senga RHP (Softbank Hawks) - He did well in a relief role with the Hawks when he was first brought up. This year he has been moved to the starting rotation where he doesn’t lose (8-1, 2.67). He still strikes out more than a batter per inning even with his move to the starting rotation. As a reliever he only gave up one homerun in just over 100 innings. As a starter he has dished out 11 in just 121 innings.