Franmil Reyes has made baseball history – in Japan.
A six-year MLB veteran, the Dominican-born slugger hasn’t played a game in the majors since 2023. He spent time with four different major league clubs, including the Padres.
On Sunday, Reyes inked a historic deal in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization.
Reyes Has Had Success in the Majors
All things considered, Reyes had a solid run during his time stateside. Over 548 career games in the big leagues, he clobbered 108 homers and 285 RBIs.
Reyes got his start with the Padres in 2018, where he broke onto the scene as a major power hitter. As a rookie, he crushed 16 homers in just 87 games with San Diego. Midway through his second season in 2019, Franmil was traded from the Padres to the Guardians. The transaction was part of a massive three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to the Reds.
Reyes spent parts of four seasons in Cleveland, quickly becoming a fan favorite. His career-best campaign came in 2021, clubbing 30 home runs in just 115 games played. To boot, he recorded a stellar .522 slugging percentage and .846 OPS that season with the Guardians.
Reyes’ final MLB season came in 2023, splitting time between the Cubs and Royals.
Franmil Reyes Signs Record-Breaking NPB Contract
Over the weekend, Reyes inked a four-year contract extension worth up to $40 million USD with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
It’s the richest contract in NPB history, surpassing Raidel Martinez’s $32.5 million deal in 2024.
On paper, it’s easy to understand why Hokkaido made this move. Reyes has spent his entire three-year NPB career with the franchise. During that time, all he’s done is mash.
The 31-year-old has crushed 89 homers and 237 RBIs along with a .294/.357/.549 slash line during his 363 games in Japan. In 2026, he was the Pacific League hit king with a .313 batting average.
In a league that’s short on proven power threats, Reyes is a rare commodity. Even during his up and down MLB career, the veteran was always capable of hitting one out of the park. There’s no reason to expect a drop-off in production going forward from this NPB superstar.
Former Padres Slugger Signs Richest Deal in NPB History