The Angels know better than any other team in the big leagues just how important the international free agency market is. Not only did it land them Shohei Ohtani in 2017, but it also was one of the franchise’s biggest oversights when they signed international prospect Roberto Baldoquin causing them to miss out on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
While both of those superstars squared off on the World Series stage, the Angels were preparing for the offseason. And it turns out, that included doing their work on the upcoming international free agent class as the team was one of a few to send a scout overseas this past weekend.
With the World Baseball Classic next season (and free agency about to heat up), there was no better time for the Korean and Japanese national teams to square off for some exhibition games at the iconic Tokyo Superdome. And while there were a few players worthy of MLB attention, there was one that stood above all.
Angels send scout to look at star Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto
Kazuma Okamoto is not the absolute best international free agent available this offseason, but he is one of the few viewed as an everyday MLB player for the 2026 season. The 29-year old third baseman was on a heater this season, posting a .922 OPS during the 2025 calendar year. If the Angels truly are going to be spenders this offseason, Okamoto is a perfectly adept fit at third base (arguably the team’s biggest hole).
Okamoto’s offensive game is impressive. He is not a huge threat on the base paths, but will provide pretty much everything else for a team. He hit 15 home runs in 2025 despite coming back from injury and missing the first half of the season. A promising improvement over recent years has been his walk and strikeout numbers, culminating in a 2025 season where he walked 34 times and struck out only 36 times. All of this combined with a .322 batting average makes him an exceptional candidate in free agency for teams in need of a corner infielder.
As for the Angels, Okamoto would be a terrific signing. While there is always risk involved with players going from NBP to MLB pitching, OKamoto would fit in terrificly in Anaheim. He fills a huge positon of need, gives the team a true contact threat that they don’t currently have, and can even fill in at first base or in the corner outfield spot. He has been predicted to earn a 4-year, $64 million contract ($16 million AAV), which would be a terrific figure for the Angels to land Okamoto at.