Shohei Ohtani, also known by his stage nickname “Shotime,” was born on July 5, 1994, and currently plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball as a pitcher, and designated hitter, and outfielder.
He had previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). The Fighters drafted Ohtani first overall in the 2012 draft.
From 2013 through 2017, he participated in the NPB as an outfielder and pitcher with the Fighters. At 165 kph, Ohtani’s pitch was the fastest ever thrown by a Japanese pitcher in NPB history (102.5 mph).
After the 2017 campaign, the Fighters released Ohtani to MLB, where he later signed with the Angels. He received the 2021 AL Most Valuable Player Award in addition to the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year Award.
He was also the first player in MLB history to start both as a pitcher and a hitter in the 2021 All-Star Game, serving as the AL’s manager- and a fan-selected starting pitcher (winning the victory) and starting designated hitter, respectively (as the leadoff hitter).
Meet Kayoko Otani and Toru Otani
On July 5, 1994, Ohtani was born in, Iwate, Japan to his parents Kayoko and Toru Otani. His father worked at a nearby car manufacturing factory and was an amateur baseball player who competed in the Japanese Industrial League.
His mother, Kayoko, was a national-level badminton player in high school.
He is the youngest of three children; his older siblings are Ryuta, who plays amateur baseball in the Japanese Industrial League, and Yuka.