The Nippon Professional Baseball offseason is well underway, with clubs bringing in new import talent ahead of the 2026 campaign. Here’s a look at the five most impactful foreign player signings so far this winter.
Jo-Hsi Hsu (RHP, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks)
The ace of the Wei Chuan Dragons and nicknamed the “Son of the Dragon,” Hsu is set to join SoftBank on a lucrative 3-year, ¥1.5 billion (~$9.6 million) deal plus incentives, ending a competitive bidding war that included interest from both NPB and MLB clubs. Though he explored entering the United States as an international amateur — reportedly receiving an offer from the Dodgers — the right-hander ultimately chose nearby Japan as the logical next step in his career, with an eye toward a future move to MLB.
Hsu has been dominant over four CPBL seasons, compiling a 2.42 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 29% strikeout rate across 305 innings. The 25-year-old brings a plus fastball that touches 98 mph, along with a splitter, cutter, and curveball. With a career-high of just 114 innings and some late-game velocity fade concerns, Hsu’s biggest challenge will be adapting to NPB’s longer season and workload expectations. Still, his upside rivals or even exceeds that of fellow Taiwanese standout Ruei-Yang Gu Lin, who joined the rival Nipponham Fighters last year.
Jon Duplantier (RHP, Yokohama DeNA BayStars)
December 16 Update: Japanese media initially reported that Duplantier was signing with SoftBank, but a new report indicates he is actually joining DeNA.
After losing to the Hawks in the 2025 Japan Series, Duplantier is reportedly set to join them. In his first season with the Hanshin Tigers, the 31-year-old was arguably the No. 1 starter in Japan on a per-inning basis, leading all NPB pitchers, minimum 90 innings, in ERA (1.39), FIP (1.56), strikeout rate (32.4%), and CSW% (33.2%).
A former 2016 third-round pick by Arizona, Duplantier now joins a loaded SoftBank rotation that includes reigning Pacific League MVP Livan Moinelo (who will be registered as a domestic player next season after meeting the foreign-player service time threshold), the newly acquired Jo-Hsi Hsu, veteran Naoyuki Uwasawa, young southpaws Haru Matsumoto and Yugo Maeda, and Carter Stewart Jr. returning from injury, among other solid options. The defending champions just got even better.
Forrest Whitley (RHP, Yomiuri Giants)
A former top prospect, Whitley heads to Tokyo after being released by Tampa Bay, seeking a fresh start in Japan at age 28. The 2016 first-round pick flashed explosive stuff in limited MLB action but never fully found his footing, though he was far more impressive in Triple-A Durham in 2025, posting a 2.60 ERA with a 30.4% strikeout rate across 55 ⅓ innings.
Standing 6-foot-7 and armed with a fastball and sinker that average over 95 mph, the Texas native brings elite velocity by NPB standards along with a deep mix that gives him legitimate upside as a starter. Injuries have long curtailed his workload, but if he can stay healthy, Whitley has the talent to reignite his career. Notably, Yomiuri is also betting on Bryan Mata, another former prospect, underscoring the club’s willingness to go for high-risk, high-reward arms.
An-Ko Lin (OF, Saitama Seibu Lions)
Lin heads to Saitama on a 2-year deal with a team option for a third season after one of the most productive campaigns in the CPBL, blasting 23 home runs with a 1.000 OPS in 90 games for the Uni-President Lions. Now switching “Lions” organizations, the Taiwanese-Argentinian slugger owns a career .287/.373/.508 line across 583 games and arrives in Japan with relatively high expectations.
Seibu has had a busy offseason, posting Tatsuya Imai and Kona Takahashi to MLB while also signing domestic free agents Masayuki Kuwahara and Kazunari Ishii in an effort to jump-start one of the league’s weakest offenses. While top Taiwanese hitters, such as Po-Jung Wang, have often struggled to adapt to NPB, Lin has shown success in international tournaments and could buck the trend to establish himself as a middle-of-the-order force, should his power carry over.
Bob Seymour (1B, Orix Buffaloes)
A big 250-pound slugger, Seymour joins Orix after making his big league debut with Tampa Bay in 2025, where he struggled in a small sample but showcased his offensive potential in Triple-A Durham. The 27-year-old crushed 30 home runs in just 105 games, posting an .881 OPS and 122 wRC+, albeit with a 25.7% strikeout rate.
A Wake Forest product, Seymour offers colossal raw pop that could translate even in NPB’s current dead-ball environment, highlighted by a 117.9 mph max exit velocity last season. However, concerns about his poor chase rate and defensive limitations mean his power will need to do the heavy lifting as more of a three-true-outcomes DH.
Full list of new foreign player signings (as of December 14; not including those who re-signed)
Hanshin Tigers
UTL Cam Devanney
LHP Easton Lucas
Yokohama DeNA BayStars
OF Cooper Hummel
RHP Jon Duplantier
RHP Jose Ruiz
RHP Sean Reynolds
LHP Austin Cox
Yomiuri Giants
RHP Forrest Whitley
RHP Bryan Mata
Chunichi Dragons
RHP Albert Abreu
Hiroshima Carp
RHP Freddy Tarnok
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
RHP Jesus Liranzo
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
RHP Jo-Hsi Hsu
Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters
None
Orix Buffaloes
1B Bob Seymour
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
OF Carson McCusker
RHP Roansy Contreras
Saitama Seibu Lions
OF An-Ko Lin
Chiba Lotte Marines
LHP Sam Long
LHP Jose Castillo
