The 18-year-old Shotaro Morii is zeroing in on the MLB and out of the NPB – not something usual. Graduated from Toho High School in 2024, he took a big swing with a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics.

On January 15, 2025, Shotaro Morii officially signed a $1.5 million contract that followed his immediate joining practice sessions in Arizona. Though it’s just his batting skills so far, team officials were quick to notice his impressive performance. Morii also shared his excitement about the opportunity, expressing his dedication to making the most of his time with the organization, “I did not want to regret my decision when I think about my whole life and whole career.”

His US arrival was greeted with the overwhelming physical stance of his fellow athletes. But can you guess the perks of having a youngster on an MLB team? Morii could quickly catch up: “After a month, I learned how I should practice and what kind of mindset I should have.”

Imagine an eight-year-old kid playing two-way! That’s Shotaro Morii for you – a left-handed hitter and a right-handed pitcher. And that’s one of the reasons why his deal is the largest ever for a Japanese amateur outside of the NPB. As a right-handed pitcher, Morii has demonstrated a fastball reaching 153 kilometers per hour (95 mph). At the same time, his left-handed batting skills are proven with 45 home runs in his high school career.

This power and versatility on the plate will obviously draw comparisons with fan-favorite Dodger and the Japanese hero, Shohei Ohtani, the two-way sensation redefining the mound as a pitcher and a hitter. However, despite the parallels, Morii is not flying to the moon! He humbly acknowledged their gap, stating, “Shohei is really a baseball player far away from me right now.” But he aspires to “get closer to him as soon as” he can.

Shotaro Morii’s bold leap: Forging a new path from Japan to MLB

Before Morii, Mac Suzuki (Mariners), Kazuhito Tadano (Indians), and Junichi Tazawa (Red Sox) were the only Japanese stars skipping NPB to directly join MLB franchises. Mac Suzuki avoided being drafted by the NPB after impressing scouts in the U.S. amateur leagues and signing with the Mariners in 1993. Kazuhito Tadano, signed by the Cleveland Indians in 2003, saw his NPB draft eligibility denied because of certain adult content-related controversies. In 2008, Junichi Tazawa dodged the NPB draft to sign with the Red Sox.

And now it’s Morii, bypassing NPB to test himself directly in the American baseball system. But unlike them, he is stepping in with an even bigger challenge—trying to become a true two-way player at the highest level. Assistant General Manager Dan Feinstein expressed their eagerness for this young talent, “We are anxiously excited to watch Shotaro both pitch and hit as he begins his advancement through our minor league system beginning this spring.”

Well, the team has not yet developed a specific plan of action surrounding him. But Morii’s transition from a high school student to an MLB club player is expected to be striving. Because let’s face it – he was competing at a much lower level and is now entering THE US BASEBALL. And it’s not just about performance or skill or a more rigorous training routine; it is also about cultural differences.

Even if we are calling him Ohtani 2.0, we cannot ignore that Shohei spent five seasons in the NPB. And if we are being honest on that note, Morii might not get a lot of time to settle in. But recognizing the challenge ahead, Morii remains determined to bridge the gap and prove himself step by step in the competitive world of American baseball.

No matter what, Morii’s debut in the Minor League will evidently be under close monitoring. And now, it’s just a matter of time for us to see if he can rise to the occasion!

So, are you excited to watch Shotaro Morii play the leagues or are you a little bothered that he might be a potential Ohtani replacement? Our comment section is open for you!