After a robust first season in Nippon Skilled Baseball, Franmil Reyes is planning an encore, because the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters introduced that the slugger has signed a brand new contract with the group for the 2025 season. Japanese media studies from final weekend advised that Reyes was possible to stick with the Fighters and the membership was ready to supply him a multi-year contract, however he’ll as an alternative return on a one-year deal.
In taking the one-year contract, Reyes would possibly effectively be maintaining his choices open a couple of attainable return to the majors subsequent winter, as one other massive season in NPB would assist his case for a assured contract with a North American group. Reyes hit .290/.348/.564 with 25 homers over 368 plate appearances this season, principally as a chosen hitter and with a handful of appearances at first base. This manufacturing helped the Fighers to a second-place end within the Pacific League after which a victory over the Chiba Lotte Marines within the first postseason spherical, although a sweep by the hands of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks denied the Fighters a spot within the Japan Sequence.
It was a wanted bounce-back season for Reyes after his MLB profession appeared to stall out after a pair of very tough seasons. Reyes hit solely .217/.268/.356 with 16 house runs over 538 PA with the Guardians, Cubs, and Royals in 2022-23, plus a stint within the Nationals’ farm system got here and went with no massive league call-up.
Reyes hit a way more spectacular .260/.325/.503 with 92 homers in 1540 PA over his first 4 seasons within the majors, slugging 92 homers for San Diego and Cleveland. Although strikeouts have been at all times an enormous a part of his recreation and his shaky protection indicated a DH-only future, Reyes nonetheless gave the impression to be on monitor to be a three-true-outcomes kind of drive earlier than his sudden decline. Whereas Reyes was nonetheless making plenty of arduous contact in 2022, his stroll fee dropped off sharply and his strikeout fee continued to rise.
Reyes remains to be solely 29 years outdated, along with his thirtieth birthday arising in July. He might effectively pursue a 3rd act to his profession again within the massive leagues within the wake of what appears to be a profitable second act in Japan, or maybe likes it sufficient in NPB to finally pursue a multi-year cope with the Fighters if he retains hitting.
