Several of Japan's top baseball players, including Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida, who won the World Baseball Classic three years ago, have since made significant contributions to their team's win over the US. Most of these players have since moved to Major League Baseball. Other notable contributions include Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Masataka Yasida, Munetaka Murakami, and Shota Imanaga. However, several of these Japanese players have yet to make the transition to Major Leagues. Itoh is expected to become the next Japanese star pitcher to make a significant leap to the majors, with clubs preparing for him to be among the free agent mix next year. Other top players include Yuki Matsui, who signed a five-year contract with the San Diego Padres.