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Murakami plans to play in the major leagues in 2026, Yakyu Cosmopolitan reports.

Murakami recently re-signed with the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball but said the 2025 season will be his final one in Japan. The 24-year-old has been one of the best hitters in NPB over the last several years, although his production has trailed off a bit the last two seasons since a monster 2022 campaign during which he clubbed 56 homers with a 1.168 OPS. In 2024, Murakami slashed .244/.379/.472 with 33 long balls. The corner infielder could still be highly sought after next offseason by major-league clubs, but a bounce-back year with the Swallows in 2025 would certainly help his standing.