There was never much doubt about Shohei Ohtani’s extraordinary talent on both sides of the game. Even in high school, experts were divided over whether he should focus on pitching or hitting — precisely because he excelled at both.
When Nippon-Ham Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama considered drafting Ohtani, he famously said it would be like acquiring “an ace and a cleanup hitter in one player.” Scouts, including those from the Los Angeles Dodgers, often rated Ohtani even more highly as a pitcher.
Part of the reasoning was this: while Ohtani’s hitting already appeared highly polished, his pitching was seen as raw but overflowing with potential. Many believed that because he had relied largely on natural ability, his ceiling as a pitcher might be even higher.
Ohtani himself understood this. He admitted that he often felt his pitching was less refined than his hitting.
Perhaps that’s why former Fighters teammate Atsunori Inaba once joked, “You’re boring when you’re pitching.” When Ohtani hit, he played with visible confidence — relaxed, smiling, almost joyful. But when he pitched, his expression tightened. The responsibility of controlling the entire game weighed differently on him.
As Ohtani’s development as a hitter accelerated dramatically, observers began to wonder just how far “Pitcher Ohtani” could grow. The contrast between the smiling batter and the intense pitcher only deepened the fascination surrounding him.
Two roles.
Two mental states.
One evolving player.
Source
This quote comes from a Japanese publication released in Japan and is not currently available in English.
Number 861, p.35