My Take
Okay, real talk: a guy who pitches AND hits at an elite level is the kind of thing you'd roll your eyes at in a baseball manga, and yet Shohei Ohtani just casually went and did it for real. I love that the "pick one" rulebook everybody preached for a century basically got tossed out because this kid from Iwate said "nah, both." What gets me isn't only the trophy case — the unanimous MVPs, the 50-50 season, that 2024 ring with the Dodgers — it's the eerie calm. The whole stadium is sweating bullets and he's out there looking like he's waiting for a bus. Even folks who couldn't care less about baseball perk up when he steps in. Honestly, getting to watch this in real time feels like cheating. Lucky us.
Overview
Shohei Ohtani was born on July 5, 1994, in Ōshū (formerly Mizusawa), Iwate, Japan, and was drafted first overall by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2012, making his professional debut in 2013 as a two-way player. After winning the Pacific League MVP in 2016, he joined the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 and earned unanimous American League MVP honors in both 2021 and 2023. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, during which he became the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, won the Home Run and RBI titles, claimed a unanimous National League MVP award, and won the World Series. He has been widely recognized as one of the most remarkable two-way players in the history of professional baseball.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Shohei Ohtani
- Name (Japanese)
- 大谷 翔平
- Reading
- おおたに しょうへい
- Born
- July 5, 1994 (age 31)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Dog
- Origin
- Ōshū (formerly Mizusawa), Iwate, Japan
- Blood type
- B
- Height
- 193 cm
- Agency
- Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)
- Agency history
- Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (2013–2017)
Los Angeles Angels (2018–2023)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2024–) - Active years
- 2013–present
- Occupation
- Athlete / Professional baseball player (pitcher / designated hitter)
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Oshu Municipal Anetai Elementary School
- Junior high
- Oshu Municipal Mizusawa Minami Junior High School
- High school
- Hanamaki Higashi High School
- University
- Did not attend university; entered professional baseball directly after high school
- Debut
- Drafted 1st overall by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in the 2012 draft; professional debut in 2013
Awards & achievements
- 2016 Pacific League MVP
- 2021 AL MVP (unanimous)
- 2021 Hank Aaron Award
- 2023 WBC Champion & Tournament MVP (Samurai Japan)
- 2023 AL MVP (unanimous, 2nd time)
- 2024 MLB Home Run title & RBI title (first Asian-born player to win RBI title)
- 2024 First player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season
- 2024 World Series Champion (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- 2024 NL MVP (unanimous, 3rd time)
Timeline
- 1994Born in Mizusawa (now Ōshū), Iwate, Japan
- 2013Joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters; debuted as a two-way player (pitcher and batter)
- 2016Led team to a Japan Series title as a two-way player; won Pacific League MVP
- 2018Transferred to the Los Angeles Angels; won AL Rookie of the Year
- 2021Won first AL MVP unanimously
- 2023Won the World Baseball Classic with Japan and earned Tournament MVP; won AL MVP for the second time
- 2023Signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the off-season
- 2024Announced marriage; achieved 50-50 season; won World Series; won NL MVP for the third time
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Mamiko Tanaka (marriage announced in 2024)
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Father: Toru Ohtani (former industrial-league baseball player); Mother: Kayoko Ohtani (former badminton player)
- Siblings
- Older sister Yuka; older brother Ryuta
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Sleep (publicly cited as a key part of his conditioning regimen)
Specialties
- Two-way play (pitching and hitting)
- Interview responses in English (with interpreter assistance)
Motto
Preconceived notions turn the possible into the impossible (a phrase associated with his high-school goal-setting)
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | MLB Home Run title | — | 2024 |
| Title | MLB RBI title | — | 2024 |
| Record | 50 home runs & 50 stolen bases in a single season (MLB first) | — | 2024 |
| International tournament | World Baseball Classic Champion & Tournament MVP | Pitcher / Hitter | 2023 |
6. Links
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/shoheiohtani/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/大谷翔平
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.