Chicago Cubs already eyeing next potential star from Japan’s free-agent market
The Chicago Cubs have long maintained strong ties to Japanese baseball, but following the 2026 season both Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki are set to reach free agency. After passing on Munetaka Murakami, a decision shared by 29 other teams before he ultimately landed with the crosstown Chicago White Sox, another power-hitting star is beginning to emerge in Japan as a potential future MLB target, and the Cubs are already reportedly keeping close tabs on him.
Chicago Cubs scouting Japan slugger Teruaki Sato
At 27 year old, it is widely expected that the left-handed hitting outfield/third baseman Teruaki Sato will be posted next winter for MLB teams to sign. A long time member of the Hanshin Tigers, Sato is coming off a 40 home run and 102 RBI season in 2025 where he also slashed .277/.345/.579 and is following that up with 12 home runs and a .737 slugging percentage through 43 games this year.
Sato has a mild amount of swing and miss to his game, coming in at 27% last year and 25% so far this season. He doesn’t draw a lot of free passes, but the power is hard to ignore. As a result, he’s also caught the attention of nine other clubs, with of course the Los Angeles Dodgers being one of them.
Scouts from 10 MLB teams — including the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, Cardinals, Mets, Angels, Diamondbacks, Reds, Tigers, and Rangers — were reportedly in attendance at Koshien Stadium to watch 3B Teruaki Sato last night, but the game was rained out.https://t.co/yYXQjwEoCS
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) May 22, 2026
Of course the Cubs got a first hand look, as did the Dodgers, during the Toyko Series in 2025 when both clubs played the Tigers. Sato picked up an RBI single against Porter Hodge in what was a 3-0 Tigers win during the exhibition match.
It will be interesting to see if Sato is posted next winter or not, especially with the looming collective bargaining negotiations and a possible lockout on the horizon. However, if history tells us anything, if Sato is available, then the Cubs will likely be involved in his market, as a another slugger from Japan looks to make their way to Major League Baseball.
The post Chicago Cubs already eyeing next potential star from Japan’s free-agent market appeared first on ChiCitySports.
Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-scouting-teruaki-sato-japan/
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