Two-Way Concept
In the 2012 draft, Nippon-Ham selected Ohtani first overall despite his MLB aspirations. Manager Hideki Kuriyama proposed an unprecedented two-way development plan for the pitcher who threw 160 km/h in high school. Ohtani joined Nippon-Ham as 2012's first overall pick from Hanamaki Higashi High School. Despite declaring MLB intentions, manager Kuriyama's two-way proposal secured his signing after recording 160km/h in high school.
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Pitching Stats
Over 5 years with Nippon-Ham, Ohtani went 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA. In 2015 he won the wins title (15) and ERA title (2.24). In 2016 he threw NPB fastest pitch at 165 km/h, going 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA. In 5 NPB seasons, he posted 42-15 with 2.52 ERA as pitcher and .286 average with 48 home runs as batter. His 2016 season of 10 wins and 22 home runs was NPB's first 10-win/20-homer achievement.
Batting Stats
As a hitter, Ohtani batted .286 with 48 HR and 166 RBI in 296 games. In 2016 he hit 22 HR while winning 10 games as a pitcher, becoming the first NPB player to achieve 10 wins and 20 homers.
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Journey to MLB
In 2017, Ohtani signed with the Angels via posting. His NPB years laid the foundation for MLB history. In 2023 he hit 44 HR with 10 wins, winning unanimous MVP.