BASEBALL PLAYERS from Japan

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Japanese Baseball Players of all time. This list of famous Japanese Baseball Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Japanese Baseball Players.

1. Sadaharu Oh (b. 1940)

With an HPI of 59.18, Sadaharu Oh is the most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages on wikipedia.

Sadaharu Oh (Japanese: 王貞治, Ō Sadaharu; born May 20, 1940), also known as Wang Chen-chih (Chinese: 王貞治; pinyin: Wáng Zhēnzhì), is a Japanese-born Chinese former professional baseball player and manager who is currently the chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Oh's playing career spanned across four decades, during which he played for only the Yomiuri Giants. He holds the world career home run record at 868, over 100 more than MLB record holder Barry Bonds. Oh batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Originally signed with the powerhouse Giants in 1959 as a pitcher, Oh was soon converted to a full-time hitter. Under the tutelage of coach Hiroshi Arakawa, Oh developed his distinctive "flamingo" leg kick. It took Oh three years to blossom, but he went on to dominate Nippon Professional Baseball. He was a 15-time home run champion and was named to the Central League All-Star team 18 times. More than just a power hitter, Oh was a five-time batting champion and won the Japanese Central League's batting triple crown twice. With Oh at first base, the Yomiuri Giants won 11 Japan Series championships, including 9 in a row from 1965 to 1973. Oh was named the Central League's Most Valuable Player nine times. In addition to the world career home run record, Oh set many other NPB batting records, including runs batted in (RBI) (2,170), slugging percentage (.634), bases on balls (2,390), and on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) (1.080). He held Japan's single-season home run record with 55, until Wladimir Balentien broke the record in 2013. In 1977, Oh became the first recipient of the People's Honour Award. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. After retiring as a player, Oh served as the Giants' manager from 1984 to 1988. He also managed the Fukuoka Daiei/Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks from 1995 to 2008. He was the manager of the Japanese national team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, which defeated Cuba for the championship. He is currently the chairman of the Hawks.

2. Ichiro Suzuki (b. 1973)

With an HPI of 52.58, Ichiro Suzuki is the 2nd most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 51 different languages.

Ichiro Suzuki (鈴木 一朗, Suzuki Ichirō, born 22 October 1973), also known mononymously as Ichiro (イチロー, Ichirō), is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder who played professionally for 28 seasons. He played the first nine years of his career with the Orix BlueWave of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and the next 12 years with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). Suzuki then played two and a half seasons with the New York Yankees and three with the Miami Marlins before returning to the Mariners for his final two seasons. He won two World Baseball Classic titles as part of the Japanese national team. He also became the Mariners' special assistant to the chairman in 2019. He is regarded as one of the greatest contact hitters, leadoff hitters and defensive outfielders in baseball history. In his combined playing time in the NPB and MLB, Suzuki received 17 consecutive selections both as an All-Star and Gold Glove winner, won nine league batting titles, and was named most valuable player (MVP) four times. In the NPB, he won seven consecutive batting titles and three consecutive Pacific League MVP Awards. In 2001, Suzuki became the first Japanese-born position player to be posted and signed to an MLB club. He led the American League (AL) in batting average and stolen bases en route to being named AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP. Suzuki was the first MLB player to enter the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). He was a ten-time MLB All-Star and won the 2007 All-Star Game MVP Award for a three-hit performance that included the event's first-ever inside-the-park home run. Suzuki won a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in each of his first 10 years in the majors and had an American League–record seven hitting streaks of 20 or more games, with a high of 27. He was also noted for the longevity of his career, continuing to produce at a high level with slugging, and on-base percentages above .300 in 2016, while approaching 43 years of age. Suzuki also set a number of batting records, including MLB's single-season record for hits with 262. He achieved 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player in history. In 2016, Suzuki notched the 3,000th hit of his MLB career, becoming only the 30th player ever to do so. In total, he finished with 4,367 hits in his professional career across Japan and the United States, the most of any player in history at the top level of baseball.

3. Hideo Nomo (b. 1968)

With an HPI of 44.57, Hideo Nomo is the 3rd most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Hideo Nomo (野茂 英雄, Nomo Hideo, born 31 August 1968) is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1990 to 1994. He then exploited a loophole to free himself from his contract, and became the first Japanese major leaguer to permanently relocate to MLB in the United States, debuting with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. Although he was not the first Japanese player in American professional baseball, Nomo is often credited with opening the door for Japanese players in MLB, due to his star status. Nomo pitched over a span of 13 seasons in the American major leagues with eight different teams, before retiring in 2008. In 1995, he won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award and was named an MLB All-Star. He twice led MLB in strikeouts and also threw two no-hitters, including the first No-Hitter in Coors Field history, a ballpark notoriously hard to pitch in due to elevation from sea level affecting pitched and batted balls. He was the only Japanese pitcher in MLB to throw a no-hitter until the Seattle Mariners' Hisashi Iwakuma did so on August 12, 2015, against the Baltimore Orioles. Nomo was well known for his distinctive "tornado" pitching windup and delivery. In 2014, Nomo was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

4. Shohei Ohtani (b. 1994)

With an HPI of 44.54, Shohei Ohtani is the 4th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.

Shohei Ohtani (Japanese: 大谷 翔平, Hepburn: Ōtani Shōhei, pronounced [oːtaɲi ɕoːheː]; born July 5, 1994) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher and designated hitter (DH) for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Shotime", he has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Because of his elite contributions as a hitter and as a pitcher, a rarity as a two-way player, Ohtani's prime seasons have been considered among the greatest in baseball history, with some comparing them favorably to the early career of Babe Ruth. Considered early on as an elite two-way player, Ohtani was the first pick of the Fighters in the 2012 NPB draft. He played for the Fighters from 2013 through 2017 as a pitcher and an outfielder, and won the 2016 Japan Series with them. The Fighters posted Ohtani to MLB after the 2017 season, and he signed with the Angels, soon winning the 2018 American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award. Following an injury-plagued 2019 and 2020, Ohtani hit 46 home runs and struck out 156 batters en route to winning his first AL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in 2021, a statistically unprecedented two-way season that saw him bestowed with the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award. In 2022, he became the first player in the modern era to qualify for both the hitting and pitching leaderboards in one season, finishing third in the AL with 219 strikeouts. Ohtani won his second AL MVP in 2023, leading the AL with 44 home runs while recording 10 wins as a pitcher. He was the first player to win multiple unanimous MVPs and the first Japanese-born player to win a league home run title. After the 2023 season, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, the then-largest contract in professional sports history. Unable to pitch in 2024 while recovering from a second elbow injury, Ohtani played as a DH for the Dodgers. He became the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season and was unanimously named the 2024 National League MVP. He won the 2024 World Series in his first MLB postseason appearance. Internationally, Ohtani represents Japan. At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he won the MVP Award for the tournament following Japan's victory over the United States. The 2023 final was one of the most-watched baseball games in history, culminating with Ohtani striking out Angels teammate and USA captain Mike Trout on a full count, securing a 3–2 win and Japan's third title.

5. Hideki Matsui (b. 1974)

With an HPI of 42.55, Hideki Matsui is the 5th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Hideki Matsui (松井 秀喜, Matsui Hideki, born June 12, 1974), nicknamed "Godzilla", is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Matsui played the first 10 seasons of his career in Japan for NPB's Yomiuri Giants. During that span, he was a nine-time All-Star, three-time Japan Series champion, and three-time Central League Most Valuable Player (MVP). In 2003, Matsui transitioned to playing in MLB in North America, and spent his first seven seasons there with the New York Yankees. As a Yankee, he was a two-time All-Star and 2009 World Series champion, for which he was named the World Series MVP. He is the only Asian player to win the award in league history. After becoming a free agent, Matsui had one-year stints with three other MLB teams: the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays. On July 28, 2013, Matsui signed a one-day minor league contract with the Yankees in order to officially retire with the team. During his 20-year playing career, Matsui hit 507 home runs, 332 in NPB and 175 in MLB. In 2018, Matsui was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.

6. Yu Darvish (b. 1986)

With an HPI of 40.47, Yu Darvish is the 6th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Farid Yu Darvish Sefat (ダルビッシュ・セファット・ファリード・有, Darubisshu Sefatto Farīdo Yū, born August 16, 1986), more commonly known as Yu Darvish (ダルビッシュ 有), is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Darvish has also played in MLB for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. In international play, Darvish pitched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a member of the Japan national baseball team. He was considered by many to be the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball prior to his arrival in Major League Baseball in 2012. In his first MLB season, Darvish finished third in the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year balloting. The next season, he finished second in the AL Cy Young Award vote by leading MLB in strikeouts with 277 and finishing fourth in the AL in earned run average (ERA) at 2.83. In April 2014, Darvish reached the 500-strikeout mark in fewer innings pitched than any starting pitcher in MLB history. He pitched in the 2017 World Series for the Dodgers, where his underwhelming performance was later attributed to being a victim of the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal. He was named an All-Star for the Padres in 2021. Darvish has recorded the most strikeouts by a Japanese-born pitcher in MLB history, and was the first Japanese pitcher to 2,000 MLB strikeouts.

7. Daisuke Matsuzaka (b. 1980)

With an HPI of 39.71, Daisuke Matsuzaka is the 7th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (松坂 大輔, Matsuzaka Daisuke, [matsɯꜜzaka daꜜisɯ̥ke]; born September 13, 1980) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher, who pitched professionally for 23 seasons, 16 of them in NPB, 7 in MLB. He is currently a baseball color commentator, critic, reporter, and YouTuber. Daisuke is nicknamed "the Monster of the Heisei Era" (平成の怪物, heisei no kaibutsu) in Japan and "Dice-K" in the United States by The Boston Globe and USA Today. He played for the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Saitama Seibu Lions, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Matsuzaka was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze medalist. He is the first player to have won both a World Series and a World Baseball Classic, winning the 2006 World Baseball Classic with Team Japan and the 2007 World Series with the Red Sox.

8. Koji Uehara (b. 1975)

With an HPI of 38.40, Koji Uehara is the 8th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Koji Uehara (上原 浩治, Uehara Kōji, [ɯehara koːdʑi]; born April 3, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), as well as the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed pitcher, Uehara has an MLB career strikeout rate of 10.7 K/9 innings and a walk rate of 1.5 BB/9 innings through the 2017 season. Through the 2017 season, his career 7.33 K/BB is the best in MLB history for a player with at least 100 innings pitched. Uehara won the 2013 ALCS MVP Award, and closed the final game of the 2013 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. With his World Series win, Uehara became one of sixteen players in history to have won both a World Series and a World Baseball Classic.

9. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (b. 1998)

With an HPI of 35.84, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the 9th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (山本 由伸, Yamamoto Yoshinobu, born August 17, 1998) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Orix Buffaloes. In NPB, Yamamoto was a three-time Pacific League Most Valuable Player, Eiji Sawamura Award, and a three-time Triple Crown winner. He was the second player in professional baseball to ever win the Triple Crown in three consecutive years, after Korean pitcher Sun Dong-yol. Following the 2023 NPB season, Yamamoto signed a 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers. In 2024, he won the World Series in his first season with the team. Yamamoto plays internationally for Japan, winning gold at both the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He is the first ballplayer in history to have won an Olympic gold medal, the World Baseball Classic, and a World Series ring.

10. Kenta Maeda (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 34.33, Kenta Maeda is the 10th most famous Japanese Baseball Player.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Kenta Maeda (前田 健太, Maeda Kenta, born April 11, 1988) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Maeda debuted with the Carp in 2008. He won the Eiji Sawamura Award in 2010 and 2015. After the 2015 season, the Carp posted Maeda to MLB and he signed an eight-year contract with the Dodgers. The Dodgers traded Maeda to the Twins before the 2020 season and he signed a two-year contract with the Tigers before the 2024 season.