Karl Derrick "Tuffy" Rhodes is a retired American professional baseball player. He played six years in Major League Baseball in the US, and thirteen years in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. Rhodes is the all-time NPB home run leader among foreign-born players, and he is 13th overall with 464 home runs in Japan. He hit 55 home runs in 2001, tying the NPB single-season mark set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964.
José Castillo Rondón was a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, and Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Chiba Lotte Marines and Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He was killed in a car crash in 2018 in Venezuela, caused by bandits in an attempted robbery.
The Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes were a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team based in Osaka, Japan, which was in the Pacific League. In 2005 the team was merged with the Orix BlueWave to become the team now known as the Orix Buffaloes. The team played in Fujiidera Stadium, and later in Osaka Dome.
Preston James Richard Wilson is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played all or parts of ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2007 for the New York Mets, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals. He is both the nephew and stepson of former New York Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson.
Jeremy Ryan Hermida is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
Farid Yu Darvishsefat, more commonly known as Yu Darvish, is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Darvish has also played in MLB for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. In international play, Darvish pitched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a member of the Japan national baseball team.
Norihiro Nakamura is a Japanese former professional baseball third baseman. Nakamura spent almost all of his professional career in Japan with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. Nakamura had a .266 career batting average, 404 home runs and 1338 RBI, and was an eight-time All-Star and four-time Golden Glove winner. Nakamura is one of only 16 players to have hit 400 or more home runs in NPB.
Julio Ernesto Zuleta Tapia is a former professional baseball player. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball, from 2000 to 2001, for the Chicago Cubs, and six seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2003 to 2008, primarily as a first baseman.
Sho Nakata, nicknamed "Sho Time", is a Japanese professional baseball player playing for the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Yomiuri Giants and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He plays outfield and first base.
Shohei Ohtani, nicknamed "Shotime", is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher and designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Because of his elite contributions both as a hitter and as a pitcher, a rarity for two-way players, Ohtani's peak is widely considered among the greatest in baseball history, with some comparing it favorably to the early career of Babe Ruth.
Dai-Kang Yang is a Taiwanese professional baseball outfielder for the Niigata Albirex of the Baseball Challenge League (BCL). He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Yomiuri Giants.
Arismendy Alcántara is a Dominican professional baseball center fielder and second baseman for the Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican League. Alcántara signed as an international free agent with the Chicago Cubs in 2008 as a shortstop. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds and in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Nicholas Andres Martinez is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres, and for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Toru Murata is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Bonn Capitals of the German Baseball Bundesliga. He previously played for the Yomiuri Giants and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and for the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball (MLB).
American expatriate baseball players in Japan have been a feature of the Japanese professional leagues since 1934. American expatriate players began to steadily find spots on Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) rosters in the 1960s. More than 600 Americans have played NPB, although very few last more than a single season in Japan.
Ronny Rodríguez Martinez is a Dominican professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Wei Chuan Dragons. Rodríguez has also played for the Dominican Republic national baseball team.
Franmil Federico Reyes is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians / Guardians, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Royals.
Willians Astudillo, nicknamed "La Tortuga", is a Venezuelan professional baseball utility player who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. He made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2018, and has appeared at every position except shortstop in a major league game.
Edmund Peyton Burdick is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at Wright State University. Burdick was selected by the Miami Marlins in the third round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft and made his MLB debut for them in 2022.
Gosuke John Katoh is an American professional baseball infielder for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays.
