Slugger Norihiro Nakamura on Wednesday signed a new one-year contract with the Kintetsu Buffaloes for an estimated salary of 500 million yen, the highest in the Pacific League, plus incentives of up to 100 million yen.
Nakamura, who batted .320 with 46 homers and 132 RBIs in 2001 to lead the Osaka club to its first pennant in 12 years, turned down a six-year deal reportedly worth more than 3 billion yen one year before the 28-year-old becomes eligible for free agency.
The deal made infielder Nakamura the second highest-paid player in Japanese baseball behind Yomiuri Giants slugger Hideki Matsui, who agreed to a record 610 million yen salary on Tuesday.
Nakamura, a native of Osaka, joined the Buffaloes in 1992 as a fourth-round draft pick.