Baseball’s Versatile Star: Shohei Ohtani

Twenty-seven year old from Japan is both a talented pitcher and hitter. He’s just what MLB needs as the 2022 season begins.

Ohtani is 6' 4" and bats left with the Los Angles Angels. He was drafted into Japanese professional baseball in 2012 at age 18. (Image: Erik Drost, WikiMedia Creative Commons).

Shohei Ohtani is a rising star in Major League Baseball. The game is facing numerous challenges including declining attendance (thirty-three percent drop between 2019 and 2021, due in part to pandemic restrictions). Average game length was over three hours in 2021 even as MLB sought to speed up the pace of the game. A fresh-faced star is just what the game needs as the 2022 season begins. Five facts about Ohtani:

1. Ohtani was drafted out of high school and first played in 2013 with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Japan’s top professional baseball league.
2. In December 2017, Ohtani agreed to a contract deal with the Los Angeles Angels. He was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2018; he had an impressive on-base percentage (OBP) of .289. In 2021 he was named the American League most valuable player (MVP).
3. As a pitcher, Othani throws a four-seam fastball, forkball and curveball. He is a durable consistent starter and had a low ERA of 3.18 in 2021.
4. Ohtani’s international appeal and dual on-field talent (hitting and pitching) led him to be named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2021.
5. His two-way talent is historically unique in baseball. No other MLB player has ever hit more than 30 home runs while also making at least 15 starts as a pitcher in a season.

As 2022 season began, Othani hit three home runs in two games against the Texas Rangers.

Ohtani home run! (MLB Twitter link).

Ohtani was presented the Prime Minister Trophy (Japan sportsperson of the year) by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2018. (Image by 内閣官房内閣広報室, Creative Commons).