Munetaka Murakami Signs With Jordan Brand Ahead Of First MLB Home Run Derby
What to know
ClosetKept AI- Munetaka Murakami signed with Jordan Brand as MLB athlete alongside Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts.
- Jordan 3 'True Blue' baseball cleat releases July 14 via Nike website for $205.
- Murakami entered All-Star break with 20 home runs through 60 games with Chicago White Sox.
- Signed two-year, $34 million deal with White Sox; totaled 246 home runs across eight NPB seasons.
Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox has signed with Jordan Brand, joining Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, and Elly De La Cruz on the Jumpman’s MLB roster. The announcement coincides with MLB All-Star Weekend, the first-time MLB All-Star set to compete in his first MLB Home Run Derby tonight at Citizens Bank Park.
Murakami emerged as one of Japan’s brightest baseball stars at just 18 years old in 2018, eventually totaling 246 home runs across eight NPB seasons while drawing considerable interest from MLB scouts. He became available to major league clubs this past offseason, though concerns surrounding his strikeout rate cooled projections of a massive long-term contract. Instead, Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox.
The strikeouts have followed him to the majors, but so has the power. Murakami entered the All-Star break with 20 home runs through just 60 games, production that has done plenty to quiet early skepticism.
MLB’s domestic audience is obviously nothing to scoff at, but Murakami’s enormous profile in Japan makes him an especially valuable signing for Jordan Brand. Much like New Balance has done with Shohei Ohtani, the Jumpman now has another athlete capable of strengthening its presence across both the American and Japanese markets.
“Joining Jordan Brand is a dream come true. The Jumpman stands for greatness, confidence and pushing beyond limits—values that have inspired me throughout my career. To be part of a family that includes some of the world’s greatest athletes is an incredible honor and I’m excited to represent Jordan Brand on the field and help grow the game of baseball for the next generation.” – Munetaka Murakami
For his Jumpman debut, Murakami will take the field in the Jordan 3 “True Blue” baseball cleat, a diamond-ready adaptation of one of the most iconic AJ3 colorways ever. The cleat releases July 14th via the Nike website for $205, with the proper Jordan 3 “True Blue” retro to follow on July 18th.
