One scout for an MLB team, who praises Murakami as “the total package at the plate,” says, “the question will be if he can stay at third base. He is more [Yoshi] Tsutsugo than Seiya Suzuki athlete/body type-wise, but the bat is easily ahead of both of those guys at this stage of his career. I think he could be playable in left field or profile as a bat-first third baseman in the vein of a Rafael Devers.”
Because he’s not a great glove at a premium position, Murakami doesn’t quite boast the best MLB WAR projection of any player under 23. Szymborski’s
ZiPS projections put Wander Franco and Julio Rodríguez ahead of him in projected five-year WAR, though Murakami edges out other highly touted rookies such as Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr., Nolan Gorman, Michael Harris II, and Riley Greene. But both the ZiPS and
Oliver projection systems peg Murakami as the best
hitter in the world under 23. Oh told
The Asahi Shimbun that Murakami is “in a class of his own among today’s young players.” The legendary slugger was talking about NPB players, but bat-wise, Murakami is in his own class among
any league’s young players.
“Not very long ago, Ohtani was here,” Sneed says. “That guy’s pretty good. And he wasn’t doing this.”