Shohei Ohtani, born in Oshu, Japan, on July 5, 1994, is a professional baseball player on the Los Angeles (LA) Dodgers. Ohtani is a pitcher and designated hitter (DH) who became the first player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to make the all-star game as both a pitcher and position player in 2021.
According to Britannica, “Ohtani was born into a baseball-loving family, and both he and his elder brother, Ryuta, were introduced to the sport at a young age.” Standing six- foot five, at the ripe age of seventeen, Ohtani impressed scouts all over the world by reaching a milestone goal of pitching a baseball 99 miles per hour. Later in his life, Ohtani was drafted by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters as the first overall pick in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) 2012 draft. Ohtani played multiple years in Japan before moving to the United States.
In 2018, Shohei Ohtani was signed by the Los Angeles Angels. Later that year, Ohtani quickly became one of baseballs best players. With twenty-two home runs and near 300 batting average, Ohtani won the Rookie of the Year Award. Ohtani stayed dominant for the next few years with multiple all-star game appearances, a Cy Young Award finalist, and two MVP Awards in 2021 and 2023.
After five tremendous years as an Angel, Ohtani moved across town and became a new member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In Ohtani’s first year as a Dodger, he reached Hall of Fame status. According to Baseball Reference, “In 2024, Ohtani became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.” This wasn’t the end of his run as a Dodger, when he helped them win the 2024 and 2025 World Series.
Ohtani’s life wasn’t just good on the field, as in February 2024 Ohtani and former professional Japanese basketball star, Mamiko Tanaka announced their marriage. The athletic couple had a daughter in April, 2025.