Franmil Reyes Stays With Fighters After NPB Batting Title Season
Franmil Reyes will return to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2027 after hitting .313 with 32 home runs and winning the Pacific League batting title.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
Pacific League batting champion Franmil Reyes will remain with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters for the 2027 NPB season after the club announced a contract extension on Monday, November 2. The agreement keeps the middle-of-the-order slugger in Hokkaido following the most complete offensive season of his three years in Japan.
- 2026 batting average: .313, first in the Pacific League
- Power production: 32 home runs and 82 RBIs
- Contract status: Confirmed by the Fighters for 2027; financial terms were not officially disclosed
Reyes adds a batting title to his NPB power record
Reyes, 31, won his first NPB batting championship in 2026 while again reaching 32 home runs. The combination showed how far his offensive profile has developed since he arrived from Major League Baseball before the 2024 season.
His first year in Japan included 25 home runs and a Fighters-record 25-game hitting streak. In 2025, he established himself as one of the Pacific League’s most dangerous hitters by leading the league in both home runs and RBIs, finishing with 32 homers and 90 runs driven in.
The 2026 batting title added consistency to that power. Reyes hit .313 with 32 home runs and 82 RBIs, giving Nippon-Ham a proven run producer to build around as the club continues its push for a Pacific League championship.
Fighters secure their lineup centerpiece
The Fighters confirmed the extension but did not announce its length or value. Japanese reports described it as a multi-year agreement, with Nikkan Sports reporting an estimated 2027 salary of ¥800 million plus incentives and saying Reyes’ representatives identified it as a four-year deal. The reported salary would be the largest in club history, although the team has not verified those financial details.
Reyes said through the club that he was happy to continue with the Fighters and grateful for the confidence shown by the organization and its supporters. He pledged to give his full effort again next season.
Retaining Reyes removes a major uncertainty from Nippon-Ham’s offseason. His production, durability and popularity made him a potential target elsewhere, particularly as the Central League prepares to introduce the designated hitter in 2027 and expands the market for offense-first players.
From 108 MLB home runs to an NPB batting champion
The Dominican slugger reached the majors with the San Diego Padres in 2018 and hit 108 home runs across 548 MLB games with the Padres, Cleveland, Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals. His best MLB power season came in 2019, when he hit 37 home runs.
Reyes has since rebuilt his career in Japan. The Fighters now know their leading hitter will be back in the center of the lineup for 2027, with the next objective shifting from individual awards to the league title he has publicly identified as the team’s minimum target.
