Japanese star pitcher Shohei Ohtani made his first pitching debut as an Angel April 1, 2018. With his first start, he had six strikeouts in six innings while allowing three runs and getting his first MLB win as a Los Angeles Angel.
Shohei Ohtani is a 24 year-old man from Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Ohtani played high school baseball in Japan as the starting pitcher and set the record for the fastest pitch in Japanese national high school tournament at 160 km/h (99 mph). Oct. 21, 2012, Ohtani announced that he would pursue a career in Major League Baseball rather than turn professional in Japan.
Ohanti was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels. Ohanti weighed 203 pounds (92 kg) and his hight as 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m). With an overhand delivery, he throws a four-seam fastball averaging 96.2 miles per hour (tops out at 102.5 mph), (an 86–88 miles per hour) forkball with late diving action, an occasional curveball, and a solid slider at 82–84 miles per hour. He posted a BB/9 (walks per nine innings rate) of 3.3 in his NPB career. The NBP stands for Nippon Professional Baseball which is the highest level of baseball in Japan.
Ohtani was also drafted for his hitting and field skill; he is left-handed batter and designated hitter and occasional outfielder. He is known for being able to hit with home run power. Scouts have timed Ohtani running from the batter’s box to first base in as fast as 3.8 seconds.
When Ohtani first joined the LAA baseball team, people were saying such positive things about Ohanti, like what he is good at.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Mike Scioscia the current LAA manger said, “ He’s a special athlete, and he had great success in Japan running the bases and doing the things a player needs to do to get himself into a position to score runs. He has great stride, tremendous speed, he can steal a base. There’s a lot of things he can do.”
Since Ohtani’s first day of playing Major League Baseball, he has lead his team to be second place in the AL west division; going 15-8. Ohtani since day one has been trying harder and harder to get where he is today and succussed past the MLB and become one of the greatest pitchers of all time.
