In Nippon Professional Baseball, players born outside of Japan are often known as international players. This list includes all international players who are currently on NPB 70-man rosters and thus eligible to play in Nippon Professional Baseball or either of the two "ni-gun" leagues, the Western League and the Eastern League. As both the Central League and Pacific League have a limit on foreign players on the 28-man first team (ichi-gun) rosters (maximum of four foreign players which must be a mix of pitchers and position players). This list does include foreign-born players who qualify as Japanese through residency, such as Yaku Cho and Wladimir Balentien, but does not include Japanese-born players who are eligible for other national teams, such as Yuma Mune and Brandon Tysinger.
List is accurate as of September 18, 2026:
Player Position Debut season NPB Team(s) Nationality NotesAlbert AbreuRHP2024Saitama Seibu Lions (2024) Chunichi Dragons (2026–present) Dominican RepublicAlberto BaldonadoLHP2023Yomiuri Giants (2023–present) PanamaAlexander ArmentaLHP2026Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2026–present) MexicoAlexander CanarioOF2026Saitama Seibu Lions (2026–present) Dominican RepublicMu-Heng ChenRHP2026Orix Buffaloes (2026–present) TaiwanAllan WinansRHP2026Saitama Seibu Lions (2026–present) United States of AmericaAn Ko LinOF2026Saitama Seibu Lions (2026–present) TaiwanAnderson EspinozaRHP2024Orix Buffaloes (2024–present) VenezuelaNPB All-Star (2024)Anderson SeverinoLHP2026Hanshin Tigers (2026–present) Dominican RepublicAndre JacksonRHP2024Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2024–2025) Chiba Lotte Marines (2026–present) United States of AmericaJapan Series champion (2024) NPB All-Star (2025)Andrés MachadoRHP2024Orix Buffaloes (2024–present) VenezuelaNPB All-Star (2024)Ariel MartínezC/OF2020Chunichi Dragons (2018–2022) Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2023–present) Cuba2x NPB All-Star (2023, 2024) NPB All-Star Game Fighting Spirit Award (2023)Austin CoxLHP2026Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) United States of AmericaBob Seymour1B2026Orix Buffaloes (2026–present) United States of AmericaBobby Dalbec1B2026Yomiuri Giants (2026–present) United States of AmericaBryan MataRHP2026Yomiuri Giants (2026–present) VenezuelaCam DevanneyIF2026Hanshin Tigers (2026–present) United States of AmericaCarson McCuskerOF2026Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2026–present) United States of AmericaCarter StewartRHP2021Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2021, 2023–2024, 2026–present) United States of AmericaSung Chia-haoRHP2017Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2017–present) TaiwanNPB All-Star (2021)Cooper HummelC/OF2026Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) United States of AmericaCristián RodríguezUTL2024Chunichi Dragons (2024–present) CubaDarwinzon HernándezLHP2023Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2023–present) VenezuelaJapan Series champion (2025)Dauri MoretaRHP2026Hanshin Tigers (2026–present) Dominican RepublicDayán ViciedoUTL2016Chunichi Dragons (2016–2024) Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2025–2026) Cuba3x NPB All-Star (2016, 2021, 2022) 2x NPB Golden Glove Award (2020, 2021) 2x CL Best Nine (2018, 2019) CL Batting title (2018) Interleague play CL Nippon Life Award (2021) NPB All-Star Fighting Player Award (2022Dermis García1B2026Hanshin Tigers (2026–present) Dominican RepublicDomingo SantanaOF2021Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2021–present) Dominican RepublicJapan Series champion (2021) NPB All-Star (2024) Central League Best Nine Award (2024)Easton LucasLHP2026Hanshin Tigers (2026–present) United States of AmericaElehuris MonteroIF2025Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2025–present) Dominican RepublicElvis LucianoRHP2026Yomiuri Giants (2026–present) Dominican RepublicEmmanuel RamírezRHP2025Saitama Seibu Lions (2025–present) Dominican RepublicForrest WhitleyRHP2026Yomiuri Giants (2026–present) United States of AmericaFranmil ReyesOF/DH2024Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2024–present) Dominican RepublicPacific League Best Nine Award (2024) NPB All-Star (2025)Freddy TarnokRHP2026Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2026–present) United States of AmericaGregory PolancoOF2022Yomiuri Giants (2022) Chiba Lotte Marines (2023–present) Dominican RepublicNPB All-Star (2024)Hansel MarcelinoRHP2025Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2025–present) Dominican RepublicHumberto MejíaRHP2023Chunichi Dragons (2023–present) PanamaJason VoslerUTL2025Chunichi Dragons (2025–present) United States of AmericaJerar EncarnacionOF2026Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) Dominican RepublicJesús LiranzoRHP2026Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2026–present) Dominican RepublicJeter DownsIF2024Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2024–present) ColombiaJapan Series champion (2025)Jo Hsi HsuRHP2026Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2026–present) TaiwanJoey LucchesiLHP2026Chiba Lotte Marines (2026–present) United States of AmericaJon DuplantierRHP2025Hanshin Tigers (2025) Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) United States of AmericaJosé CastilloLHP2026Chiba Lotte Marines (2026–present) VenezuelaJosé Osuna UTL2021Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2021–present) VenezuelaJapan Series champion (2021)José QuijadaLHP2026Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2026–present) VenezuelaJosé RuizRHP2026Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) VenezuelaJosé UreñaRHP2026Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2026–present) Dominican RepublicJulian TimaIF2026Yomiuri Giants (2026–present) Dominican RepublicKyle MullerLHP2025Chunichi Dragons (2025–present) United States of AmericaLeandro CedeñoIF2023Orix Buffaloes (2023–2024) Saitama Seibu Lions (2025) Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2026–present) VenezuelaLiván MoineloLHP2017Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2017–present) CubaPacific League MVP (2025) Pacific League Best Relief Pitcher Award (2020) Pacific League hold leader (2020) 2× Pacific League ERA leader (2024, 2025) Pacific League Best Nine Award (2025) Pacific League Golden Glove Award (2024) 5× Japan Series champion (2017–2020, 2025) 2× NPB All-Star (2022, 2025)Luis PerdomoRHP2023Chiba Lotte Marines (2023) Orix Buffaloes (2024–present) Dominican RepublicNPB All-Star (2023)Luke VoitIF2025Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2025–present) United States of AmericaMiguel SanóIF2026Chunichi Dragons (2026–present) Dominican RepublicNash WaltersRHP2025Chunichi Dragons (2025) Tokyo Yakult Swallows (2026–present) United States of AmericaNeftali SotoIF2018Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2018–2023) Chiba Lotte Marines (2024–present) Puerto Rico2x JCL home run leader (2018, 2019) JCL RBI leader (2019)Orlando CalixteUTL2023Chunichi Dragons (2023–present) Dominican RepublicOscar GonzálezOF2025Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2025–2026) Dominican RepublicOsvaldo BidoRHP2026Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) Dominican RepublicPo-Hsiang YangIF2025Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2025–present) TaiwanRafael DolisRHP2016Hanshin Tigers (2016–2019, 2025–present) Dominican RepublicSaves leader (2017)Raidel MartínezRHP2018Chunichi Dragons (2018–2024) Yomiuri Giants (2025–present) Cuba4× NPB All-Star (2022–2025) 3× NPB Saves Leader (2022, 2024–2025)Roberto OsunaRHP2022Chiba Lotte Marines (2022) Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2023–present) MexicoNPB All-Star (2023)Rodolfo CastroIF2026Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2026–present) Dominican RepublicRoansy ContrerasRHP2026Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2026–present) Dominican RepublicRuei Yang Gu LinRHP2025Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2025–present) TaiwanSam LongLHP2026Chiba Lotte Marines (2026–present) United States of AmericaSandro FabianOF2025Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2025–present) Dominican RepublicNPB All-Star (2025)Sauryn LaoRHP2026Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2025–present) Dominican RepublicSean HjelleRHP2026Orix Buffaloes (2026–present) United States of AmericaSean ReynoldsRHP2026Yokohama DeNA BayStars (2026–present) United States of AmericaSpencer HowardRHP2025Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2025) Yomiuri Giants (2026–present) United States of AmericaTaylor HearnLHP2024Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2024–present) United States of AmericaTrey CabbageOF/1B2025Yomiuri Giants (2025–present) United States of AmericaTrey WingenterRHP2025Saitama Seibu Lions (2025–present) United States of AmericaTyler NevinIF2025Saitama Seibu Lions (2025–present) United States of AmericaYi-Lei SunRHP2025Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2025–present) TaiwanYunior MarteRHP2025Chunichi Dragons (2025) Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2026–present) Dominican Republic
References