Kuriyama's Bold Decision
In the 2012 draft, Shohei Ohtani from Hanamaki Higashi High School intended to go directly to MLB. The Nippon-Ham Fighters drafted him first overall, with manager Hideki Kuriyama personally persuading him with an unprecedented proposal: play as both pitcher and hitter. The baseball world was skeptical, but Kuriyama insisted that limiting Ohtani's talent to one role would be a loss for baseball. In his 2013 rookie year, Ohtani posted 3 wins as a pitcher and batted .238, taking the first step.
2016 - The Two-Way Peak
Ohtani's two-way ability reached its zenith in 2016: 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA as a pitcher, .322 with 22 home runs and 67 RBI as a hitter. No NPB player had ever achieved 10+ wins and 20+ home runs in the same season. He was named Pacific League MVP, and in the Climax Series recorded 165 km/h, the fastest pitch in NPB history.
Injuries and the MLB Decision
Ankle injuries limited Ohtani in 2017, revealing the physical toll of two-way play. After the season, he posted to MLB. Despite international bonus pool restrictions limiting his signing bonus to just $2.31 million, Ohtani chose the Los Angeles Angels for their willingness to support his two-way ambitions over financial considerations.
The NPB Legacy
Ohtani's NPB totals of 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA and .286/48 HR/166 RBI in just five seasons shattered the conventional wisdom that two-way play was impossible at the professional level. His subsequent MLB success (2021 and 2023 MVP awards) was built on the foundation laid during his NPB years. Ohtani and Kuriyama proved that extraordinary talent need not be confined to a single role, expanding baseball's possibilities.