Over 80 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Japanese Baseball Players Of 2023
The world of Major League Baseball is expanding each and every day, and now Japanese baseball players and the best Nippon Professional Baseball players are making their way to the MLB to show the world the skills, drive, and passion the Japanese leagues and their players have. While it may be known as America's Pastime, Japans best baseball players are taking the league by storm and showcasing an entirely new way to play the game. While there may not be many players of Japanese descent in the MLB right now, there are still an incredible amount of phenomenal players, which raises the question, who is the best Japanese baseball player in 2023?
Players like Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda have lit up the NPB and have played the game of baseball for over half of their lives, while up-and-coming sensation Kohei Arihara is shocking the world with his phenomenal talent and promise. Of course, there is one player who stands above the rest as quite possibly the best baseball player of all time, the legendary Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani has revolutionized the game of baseball and helped his Japanese brethren learn and excel in the sport. While Ohtani may widely be considered the best, there are plenty of other amazing Japanese baseball players who are right on his tale for superstardom.
MLB Achievements 2× All-Star (2021, 2022) AL MVP (2021) 2x All-MLB First Team (2021, 2022) 2x All-MLB Second Team (2021, 2022) AL Rookie of the Year (2018) Silver Slugger Award (2021) 2× Edgar MartÃnez Award (2021, 2022) AL triples leader (2021) Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award (2021) Hit for the cycle on June 13, 2019 AP Athlete of the Year (2021)
NPB Achievements Japan Series champion (2016) 5× NPB All-Star (2013–2017) Pacific League MVP (2016) 2× Pacific League Pitcher Best Nine (2015–2016) Designated Hitter Best Nine (2016) Pacific League ERA leader (2015) Pacific League Battery Award, with Shota Ono (2015) 2× Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize (2016, 2018) WBSC Player of the Year (2015)
MLB Achievements 5× All-Star (2012–2014, 2017, 2021) All-MLB First Team (2020) NL wins leader (2020) AL strikeout leader (2013)
NPB Achievements 2× Pacific League MVP (2007, 2009) Eiji Sawamura Award (2007) Japan Series champion (2006) 3× Pacific League strikeout title (2007, 2010, 2011) 2× Pacific League ERA title (2009, 2010) 2× Pacific League Best Nine Award (2007, 2009) 2× Pacific League Mitsui Golden Glove Award (2007, 2008) 2006 Asia Series MVP 5× NPB All-Star (2007–2011) 2007 PLCS Second Stage MVP
NPB Achievements 5× Central League Golden Glove Award (2016, 2017, 2019–2021) 6× Best Nine Award (2016–2021) 5× NPB All-Star (2016–2019, 2021) 2× Central League Batting Champion (2019, 2021) 2× Central League OBP Leader (2019, 2021)
NPB Achievements Japanese Triple Crown (2010) 5× NPB All-Star (2010, 2012–2015) 3× Best Nine Award (2010, 2013, 2015) 5× Mitsui Golden Glove Award (2010, 2012–2015) 2× Eiji Sawamura Award (2010, 2015) 2× Central League wins champion (2010, 2015) 3× Central League ERA champion (2010, 2012, 2013) 2× Central League strikeout champion (2010, 2011) NPB All-Star Game MVP (2012 Game 2)
