Fastball

Former Major League Slugger, Who Hit 37 Homers in 2019, to Partake in Japanese Home Run Derby

Franmil Reyes, who spent parts of six years in the big leagues, continues to obliterate baseballs in the NPB.
Brady Farkas|
Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Franmil Reyes (32) hits a home run against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium in 2022.
Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Franmil Reyes (32) hits a home run against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium in 2022. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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San Diego PadresCleveland Guardians

Franmil Reyes, who spent parts of six years with the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs, is continuing to obliterate baseballs in Japan, and he will partake in the NPB Home Run Derby over the league's All-Star break.

The Yakyu Cosmopolitan had that information on social media:

2025 NPB Home Run Derby Participants

Central League
Teruaki Sato (Hanshin)
Shugo Maki (DeNA)
Shota Morishita (Hanshin)
Seiji Uebayashi (Chunichi)

Pacific League
Chusei Mannami (Nippon-Ham)
Franmil Reyes (Nippon-Ham)
Kotaro Kiyomiya (Nippon-Ham)
Yuma Tongu (Orix)

Reyes, 30, has played in Japan for each of the last two seasons, suiting up for the Nippon Ham Fighters. In 77 games this season, he's hitting .285 with 18 home runs and 52 RBIs. He's also carrying a .359 on-base percentage.

A prodigious home run hitter even in the states, he hit 108 home runs in those six seasons. He popped 37 home runs for the Padres and Guardians in 2019 and then also hit 30 for Cleveland in 2021. However, his production fell off after that, as he hit just .213 in 2022 with 14 home runs, and then played in only 19 games for the Royals in 2023, hitting .186 with two home runs.

Given his age and his productivity overseas, there's always a chance that Reyes could return to affiliated baseball. While it's been more common with pitchers than hitters recently, players have returned to new opportunities. Chris Flexen and Erick Fedde both returned from the KBO to solid success over the last five years.

Other former major leaguers playing in Japan include Luke Voit, Trevor Bauer, Mike Ford and Trey Cabbage.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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