I’ve worked hard since I was little because I wanted to become the best baseball player.I want to keep striving toward a goal that simple.

From the moment he began playing baseball, Shohei Ohtani loved the game and naturally set his sights on becoming a professional.
But his goal was never just to make it as a pro.

From a young age, Ohtani wanted something more —
to become the best baseball player.

That mindset never changed after he turned professional.
He continued to say that he wanted to master every aspect of the game and become the best in the world, and he kept working toward that goal.

It was never about fame, money, or collecting titles.
What he pursued was far simpler — and far more demanding.
He wanted to be the best.

For Ohtani, the place where that goal could be pursued most fully was Major League Baseball,
which he openly said he wanted to challenge himself in right after high school.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Chasing Shohei Ohtani: A Beat Reporter’s 10-Year Notebook, p.164

Shohei Ohtani Quotes

I’ve worked hard since I was little because I wanted to become the best baseball player.I want to keep striving toward a goal that simple.

Source

More Quotes

Personally, I think it was a good thing that I could play baseball in a relaxed and enjoyable way when I was a child.Because it was fun, I never once came to dislike baseball.

From the beginning, I had confidence that I was at least a little better than those around me.That initial confidence was important.

You only realize that there are people better than you when you actually play baseball in a group that includes kids your own age and older.

Soccer was just play. Baseball was play too, but for me, baseball was something I approached with total commitment and seriousness.

Basically, I’ve always acted based on my own decisions.

Because I love baseball.