CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #440
Rakuten Monkeys News: Adam Walker
On July 6, the Rakuten Monkeys announced the signing of 34-year-old American outfielder Adam Walker. According to the team, they valued Adam Walker’s previous experience in Japan, where he showcased his power by hitting 23 home runs in a single season.
Adam Walker began his professional career in 2012 in the Minnesota Twins organisation. Although he never reached the major leagues, he climbed as high as Triple-A. After leaving affiliated baseball, he played in the American Association from 2019 to 2021, where he established himself as one of the league’s top hitters.
His strong performances eventually earned him a contract in Japan. From 2022 to 2024, Adam Walker played in NPB for the Yomiuri Giants and SoftBank Hawks. His best season came in 2022, when he slashed .271/.306/.515 with 23 home runs over 124 games. However, he was unable to replicate that success over the following 2 seasons and was not offered a new contract.
In 2025, looking for another opportunity in Asia, Adam Walker joined Japan’s independent league, the Baseball Challenge League. The move eventually paid off, as he returned to the NPB system with the Niigata Albirex Baseball Club, a team that competes exclusively in NPB minor league. Before signing with the Rakuten Monkeys, Adam Walker batted .248/.302/.515 with 13 home runs in 60 games in NPB minor league.
With the signing of Adam Walker, the Rakuten Monkeys currently have Pedro Fernández (2-year deal), Kyle Marman, Tyler Eppler, Sakakibara Motoki [development player] and Ronnie Dawson as their group of foreign players for the 2026 CPBL season.
Further Readings
Foreign players come and go. Therefore, we have compiled a foreign player tracker, and I’ll be updating that list regularly to keep pace with the ever-changing roster shuffle throughout the 2026 CPBL season.