Ohtani
Overview
Shohei Ohtani (大谷翔平, 오타니 쇼헤이) is a professional baseball player from Japan who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) as both a pitcher and a hitter—a "two-way" (二刀流) player. He is regarded as a player rewriting MLB history by performing at the world's highest level in a role that has effectively disappeared from modern baseball: pitching and hitting simultaneously.
Key Details
Profile and Basic Information
- Born: July 5, 1994, Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, Japan
- Height/Weight: 193 cm / approx. 95 kg
- Throws/Bats: Right-handed pitcher, left-handed batter
- Position: Pitcher, designated hitter
- Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (2024–)
- Jersey number: 17
Amateur Years and Nippon Professional Baseball
Ohtani drew attention from his high school days as a player possessing both a fastball approaching 160 km/h and prodigious power. In the 2012 draft he joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and the club made an unprecedented exception to allow him to both pitch and hit. In 2016 he recorded 10 wins as a pitcher and 22 home runs as a batter in Nippon Professional Baseball, proving the potential of the two-way role, and won the Pacific League MVP.
Entry into MLB and the Angels Years
In 2017 he entered MLB through the posting system and signed with the Los Angeles Angels. He made a spectacular debut in 2018 by winning Rookie of the Year, but afterward endured ups and downs, including undergoing elbow surgery. In 2021 he recorded 9 wins as a pitcher and 46 home runs as a batter, winning the American League MVP and heralding the revival of the "two-way" player. In 2023 he led Japan's national team to victory at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) and was named tournament MVP, and that same year he again won the American League MVP.
Move to the Los Angeles Dodgers
After the 2023 season he became a free agent and moved to the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract—the largest in sports history. This amount was recorded as the largest contract in North American professional sports. The structure, which defers a large portion of the salary, also drew attention. In 2024, his first year after the move, he focused on hitting due to the aftereffects of elbow surgery, and with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases he became the first player in MLB history to achieve "50-50."
Major Records and Awards
- MLB MVP: 2021, 2023, 2024 (3-time winner)
- Rookie of the Year: 2018
- Silver Slugger: multiple-time winner
- Achieved 50-50 in 2024 (first in MLB)
- WBC champion and tournament MVP: 2023
Latest Trends (2024-2025)
In 2024, his first year with the Dodgers, Ohtani reigned as the league's best hitter even while appearing solely as a designated hitter, founding the 50-50 club, and he simultaneously captured the National League MVP and a World Series championship. In 2025 he is expected to return as a pitcher and once again play two ways, which is generating great expectations among MLB and fans around the world. The Dodgers continue their championship contention with a formidable roster in 2025 as well, and Ohtani is expected to exert influence on both sides of the game at the center of the team. In addition, his commercial value and global marketing effect are having a major impact on the baseball market across Asia beyond Japan, and he has established himself as a key figure increasing the league's overall economic ripple effects in areas such as jersey sales, broadcast rights, and advertising revenue.
Related Topics
- [[MLB]]
- [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
- [[Baseball]]
- [[World Baseball Classic]]
- [[Two-way player]]