Each team in the NPB can sign as many foreign players as they’d like, but league rules only permit four to be on a team’s active roster at a given time. Additionally, no more than three of those four players can be from the same group: pitchers or position players.

The NPB allows teams to shift players from the first division to the second (i.e., the minor leagues) at any time. Like the US minor leagues, they must wait 10 days before returning to the first division team.

Miguel Sanó, 1B/DH

Sanó enters his first season in the NPB. Once considered a future star and power threat, Sanó hit just .233/.325/.477 in 2954 PA with 164 HR over his nine seasons in the big leagues. The 32-year-old sat out the 2025 season, but re-emerged with a strong campaign in the Dominican Winter League.

Albert Abreu, RHP

Abreu returns to Japan for a second time, having spent the 2024 season with Seibu. He had a 2.39 ERA over 49.0 IP for the Lions, but returned stateside to spend the 2025 season with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate. Abreu spent parts of nine seasons in the minors, while also making 108 MLB appearances across four seasons with a 4.58 ERA in 135.2 IP.

Carson Ragsdale, RHP

Ragsdale enters his first year with the Tigers. The 27-year-old made his first MLB appearances in 2025, two mop-up relief appearances late in the season in which he was hit hard (8 ER, 10 H, 5.0 IP). Ragsdale spent most of the offseason riding the waiver wire between the Orioles and Braves organizations (twice claimed by each team) before signing with Hanshin.

Cam Devanney, INF

Devanney will head into his first year in Japan. The 28-year-old can handle any of the four infield positions and made his MLB debut this past season, going 5-for-36 in 14 games, after six seasons in the minors.

Easton Lucas, LHP

Lucas will also head into his first season in Japan. The 29-year-old spent six seasons in the minor leagues, appearing in 20 MLB games over the last three, posting an 8.02 ERA over 42.2 IP.

Dauri Moreta, RHP

Moreta joins the rest of Hanshin’s class of foreign player additions as a rookie to the NPB. Moreta, 30 in April, made 112 appearances with the Reds and Pirates over parts of four seasons, pitching to a 4.17 ERA in 116.2 IP with a pair of saves.

Freddy Tarnok, RHP

Tarnok is playing overseas for the first time. The 27-year-old made 11 MLB appearances over the 2022, 2023, and 2025 seasons (3.97 ERA in 22.2 IP with a save), but has otherwise spent his eight-year career in the minors. A quick riser through the Braves’ system, almost half of his career innings have come at Triple-A.

Elehuris Montero, 1B

Montero returns to Hiroshima for a second season, after hitting .255/.301/.391 in 396 PA last year. Now 27, Montero spent nine years in the minors. His MLB experience totaled 205 games with the Rockies (after being a key piece of the Nolan Arenado trade) in which he hit just .228/.277/.387.

Jesús Liranzo, RHP

Liranzo is entering his first year overseas after spending a dozen seasons in the minor leagues. Almost half of his pro innings have come at Triple-A, where he spent the 2025 season in the Brewers’ system while pitching to a 3.39 ERA over 58.1 IP. Liranzo will be 31 in March.

Nash Walters, RHP

Walters heads into his second season in Japan after spending 2025 with Chunichi, where he posted a 3.41 ERA over 34.1 IP. The 28-year-old spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, making just one MLB appearance late in the 2022 season (1 BB, 0.1 IP).

José Quijada, LHP

Quijada will be playing his first season overseas. The 30-year-old has appeared in 142 games with the Angels over the last seven seasons, posting a 4.59 ERA in 129.1 IP.

José Ruiz, RHP

Ruiz is heading into his first season with the BayStars. Ruiz, 31, appeared in 282 games with five teams over a nine-year MLB career, pitching to a 4.62 ERA in 286.2 IP.

Cooper Hummel, OF

Hummel heads into his first season in the NPB. The 31-year-old has played with several organizations over a nine-year minor league career, while hitting .163/.268/.275 in 340 PA scattered over parts of four seasons in the majors.

Sean Reynolds, RHP

Reynolds is also coming to the NPB for the first time. Reynolds (28 in April) posted a 4.03 ERA in 38.0 IP with the Padres over the last two seasons. He has a good track record across his five years in the minors.

Jon Duplantier, RHP

Duplantier is returning to Japan for a second season, having spent 2025 with Hanshin while going 6-3 with a 1.39 ERA in 90.2 IP before losing time to an injury. After twice ranking among the game’s top prospects, most of the 31-year-old’s pro experience has come at Triple-A. Duplantier did make 19 appearances (7 starts) with the Diamondbacks, posting a 6.70 ERA in 49.2 IP.

Austin Cox, LHP

Cox is also heading into his first year with Yokohama. Cox, 29 in March, spent most of his seven minor league seasons with the Royals before a 2024 trade to the Braves. He reached the majors in two separate stints, appearing in 24 games with Kansas City in 2023 and 13 with Atlanta in 2025, posting a 6.16 ERA over 57.0 IP.

Bobby Dalbec, 1B

Dalbec joins Yomiuri for his first season overseas after a well-traveled 2025 campaign that saw him play in three different organizations following a seven-year career with the Red Sox. The 30-year-old has hit .222/.290/.422 in 1065 PA (all but 21 of them coming with Boston) despite twice landing on preseason top prospect rankings.

Spencer Howard, RHP

Howard remains in Japan for a second season, having spent 2025 with Rakuten, where he went 5-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 48.2 IP. The 30-year-old was once considered one of the top prospects in the Phillies’ system, but his MLB career has consisted of a 4-13 record and 7.00 ERA in 144.0 IP with Philadelphia, Texas, San Francisco, and Cleveland.

Forrest Whitley, RHP

Whitley is venturing overseas for the first time after an injury-plagued career. Whitley, 28, threw a career-high 92.1 innings in his second pro season, but several injuries have kept him from approaching that number each year since. Still, Whitley ranked among the Astros’ top prospects for several years on preseason lists despite his inability to remain on the mound. He’d eventually make 14 MLB appearances with the Astros and Rays between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, with a 10.57 ERA in 15.1 IP.

Bryan Mata, RHP

Mata also heads to the NPB for the first time. Like Whitley, the highly-rated young right-hander dealt with several injuries throughout his career, which ultimately kept him from reaching the big leagues. Mata, still 26 years old, spent eight seasons in the Red Sox minor league system.

José Castillo, LHP

Castillo is entering his first season with the Marines. The 30-year-old made 69 appearances with a 4.11 ERA in 72.1 IP over parts of five seasons, most of which came with the Padres before he spent time with four franchises in 2025. He’s pitched professionally since signing with the Rays as an international amateur free agent.

Sam Long, LHP

Long enters his first year in Japan. The 30-year-old spent most of the last five seasons in the big leagues, appearing in 162 games with the Royals, Giants, and A’s while posting a 4.65 ERA over 211.0 IP.

Andre Jackson, RHP

Jackson is heading into his third season in the NPB, having spent the last two years with Yokohama, going 18-14 with a 2.60 ERA across 293.2 IP. Jackson, 29, made 26 appearances with the Dodgers and Pirates from 2021-23, with a 4.25 ERA in 87.2 IP, mostly in relief.

Jo Hsi Hsu, RHP

Hsu is a unique case. Just 25 years old, Hsu has spent the last five seasons in the CPBL with the Wei Chung Dragons. Since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2023, he has been among the best pitchers in the league, with rumors briefly swirling that he could entertain a move to MLB this offseason through the posting system. Instead, he joins the Hawks on a three-year contract.

Livan Moinelo, LHP

Moinelo is also a unique case, as he’s among the rare foreign players to play long enough in the NPB to reach “domestic status,” meaning he no longer counts against the club’s foreign player limit. Moinello spent parts of five seasons in Cuba before joining the Hawks, where he’s spent the last nine years. Already a dominant force out of the Hawks’ bullpen, the 30-year-old has been even more impressive since he shifted to the starting rotation for the 2024 season.

Sauryn Lao, RHP

Lao is going into his first season overseas after a curious career. An international amateur signing by the Dodgers, Lao’s career started on the infield dirt until L.A. moved him to the mound after five seasons. Lao, now 26, climbed the minor league ladder once he moved to the hill and made his debut last season, appearing in 8 games with the Mariners and Nationals with a 4.91 ERA in 11.0 IP.

Rodolfo Castro, INF

Castro is entering his first season with the Fighters. Still just 26, the versatile infielder hit just .219/.292/.380 in 627 PA with the Pirates and Phillies from 2021-23. He spent this past season with Philadelphia’s Triple-A affiliate and actually signed a new minor league deal with Toronto before receiving the opportunity to come to Japan.

Bob Seymour, 1B

Seymour is looking at his first year overseas; like many on this list, he’s received few opportunities to play in the majors, and an opportunity to play overseas proves to be more lucrative than spending another season at Triple-A. The 27-year-old got into 26 games with the Rays this past season, hitting .205/.253/.282 in 78 PA with a lone home run.

Sean Hjelle, RHP

Hjelle also heads into his first year with Orix. The 6’11” righty is a towering presence on the mound, but that hasn’t translated into great results, pitching to a 5.11 ERA across 149.2 IP over the last four seasons. His whole seven-year pro career has been spent in the Giants’ organization.

Allan Winans, RHP

Winans joins the Lions for his first season in Japan. Winans, 30, has made just 11 appearances in the majors over the last three years with a 7.48 ERA in 49.1 IP. He spent most of 2025 at Triple-A with the Yankees, where he was an impressive 12-1 with a 1.63 ERA in 99.1 IP.

Alexander Canario, OF

Canario will enter his first year in the NPB. Still just 25, he’s hit well in the minor leagues over seven seasons, but he’s struggled to a .229/.283/.368 line in the big leagues over 279 PA.

An Ko Lin, OF

Lin heads into his first season in Japan after seven seasons in the CPBL (all with Uni-President). The 28-year-old slashed .287/.373/.508 in 2360 PA over that stretch with 97 2B, 112 HR, and 399 RBI.

Roansy Contreras, RHP

Contreras makes his first foray overseas by joining the Golden Eagles. Still just 26 years old, Contreras posted a 4.77 ERA over 247.1 IP over parts of the last five seasons with four separate teams.

José Ureña, RHP

Ureña heads into his first season in the NPB. The 34-year-old made MLB history during the 2025 season, appearing in games with five different teams, while posting a collective 4.58 ERA in 55.0 IP. Ureña has seen time in the majors over the last 11 seasons, pitching to a 4.75 ERA in 1003.1 IP.

Carson McCusker, OF

McCusker’s first venture to play in Japan comes just after he made his MLB debut. The 6’8” corner outfielder appeared in 29 games for the Twins in 2025, going 5-for-29 at the plate with 16 SO. He’s 27.

Luke Voit, 1B

Voit enters his second season with Rakuten, having joined the team early last season after beginning the year in Mexico. Voit, 35 in February, hit .300/.384/.498 in 276 PA with 13 HR during his first taste of the NPB, leaving reason to think he could be in line for a big 2026 season. His seven-year MLB career was somewhat uneven, batting .253/.339/.468 in 1912 PA with 95 HR (22 of them coming during the shortened 2020 season).

Kenta Maeda, RHP

Maeda is a unique case, as he returns to Japan for what will be his ninth year in the league. His career started with eight seasons as a member of the Carp, during which he won 97 games with a 2.39 ERA over 1509.2 IP, before he moved to MLB, signing with the Dodgers ahead of the 2016 season. Now 37, Maeda spent parts of nine seasons in the majors, winning 68 games with a 4.20 ERA across 986.2 IP.