Meet Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese baseball sensation with a cool $50 million in his bank account. He’s not your typical ballplayer; this guy can pitch, play the outfield, and smash homers as a designated hitter for the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball.
But before his stardom in the MLB, he was tearing it up in Japan with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. And, by the way, in 2018, he snagged that sweet American League Rookie of the Year Award.
Shohei Ohtani Net Worth
Shohei Ohtani Net Worth 2023
As of 2023, Shohei Ohtani’s Net Worth is around $50 million.
What is Shohei Ohtani Net Worth and Salary?
Between 2018 and 2022, Ohtani pocketed a tidy $9.7 million in total salary. Fast forward to 2022, and he’s cashing in $5.5 million. Hold on to your seats because he just inked a one-year, $30 million deal for the 2023 season with the Angels.
Contracts and Salary
2023 was supposed to be the year of the big bucks for Ohtani. He was on track to shatter records with a jaw-dropping 12-year, $600 million contract. That’s some serious green.
For reference, Mike Trout’s 2019 deal with the Angels, a mere $426 million, currently holds the title for the biggest MLB contract. But here’s the twist – an August 2023 UCL ligament tear threw a curveball into the mix.
Now, it’s anyone’s guess what Ohtani will fetch in free agency. Will he opt for surgery and miss a season, or will he stick to batting and fielding for the rest of his career? Stay tuned.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in 1994 in Ōshū, Iwate, Japan, Ohtani was already making waves at Hanamaki Higashi High School.
At the tender age of 18, he was throwing heaters at 99 mph. In 2012, at the 18U Baseball World Championship, he notched 16 strikeouts, eight walks, and five runs.
MLB teams like the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers had their eyes on him. But, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters drafted him first, with a promise of an MLB future.
Ohtani rocked the Fighters in 2013, both as a right fielder and pitcher. He finished with a 3-0 record in 11 starts. Stats aside, fans voted him into the All-Star Game.
Success with the Fighters
In 2014, Ohtani continued his double-duty act as both pitcher and outfielder. Batting .274 and pitching with a 2.61 ERA, he was the real deal. His memorable homer against the Orix Buffaloes set a record for the first Japanese player with double digits in homers and wins.
He even threw a blazing 101 mph fastball in the Mazda All-Star Game. Postseason, he rocked the Suzuki All-Star Series.
In 2015, Ohtani dominated the mound with a 15-5 record and a 2.24 ERA, striking out 196. He led the league in wins, ERA, and shutouts. The next year, he hit 22 homers, recorded 18 doubles, and struck out 174.
Awards flowed in, including the Best Nine award and the Pacific League MVP. He led the Fighters to a Japan Series win against the Hiroshima Carp.
In his final season with the Fighters in 2017, he hit .332 with eight homers and struck out 29 on the mound.
International Star
Ohtani also shone on the international stage, snagging a bronze medal with Samurai Japan in the 2015 Premier12.
He made the 2015 World Baseball Softball Confederation All-World Team.
In 2017, he was set to play for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, but an ankle injury forced him to bow out.
Los Angeles Angels
In December 2017, Ohtani sealed the deal with the Los Angeles Angels. He made a splash as a designated hitter and pitcher, hitting three home runs in as many days, a first for an Angels rookie. In 2018, he bagged the American League Rookie of the Year.
Ohtani’s career had its ups and downs, with injuries cutting short his 2019 season. But he bounced back in 2020, only to be sidelined again with an elbow issue.
He roared back in 2021, striking out seven batters in his first pitching start and launching a massive 450-foot home run. Ohtani even made history by leading the Majors in home runs while starting on the mound, a feat last accomplished by Babe Ruth in 1921.
He also became the first player to be chosen as an All-Star both as a pitcher and a position player, pitching a perfect first inning in the All-Star Game and delivering 100 mph fastballs.
Endorsements
With all that success, Ohtani became a hot property for endorsements, scoring deals with brands like Seiko Watch, Panini, Oakley, Fanatics, Hugo Boss, and Topps. This guy’s star is on the rise, and his wallet’s getting thicker.
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