In a remarkable move aiming to follow in the footsteps of MLB star Shohei Ohtani, 18-year-old Shotaro Morii has signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics. This contract comes with a signing bonus of $1,510,500, marking a significant step in his baseball career. Unlike many top Japanese athletes who typically begin their careers in Nichiban Professional Baseball (NPB) before transitioning to Major League Baseball (MLB), Morii has chosen a different path by bypassing the NPB entirely, making his transition directly from high school to professional baseball. He signed with the A’s on the opening day of the 2025 signing period.

During a virtual press conference held via Zoom, where Morii was dressed in an A’s jersey and team cap, he expressed his commitment to pursue his dreams. “I want to keep following my dream to become a great player,” he remarked through a translator. He emphasized the importance of not regretting his career decisions, showing a mature perspective for his age.

Joining Morii in this non-traditional move is Rintaro Sasaki, a first baseman who opted out of the NPB draft to play college baseball at Stanford last season. Morii stated, “I wanted to join the professional baseball environment as soon as I can,” highlighting his eagerness to compete at the highest level.

Morii’s impressive resume includes playing as a two-way player since he was just eight years old. Over three seasons at TOHO Junior and Senior High School in Tokyo, he recorded 45 home runs while also contributing as a pitcher. He will begin his journey with the Athletics at their lowest minor league level in Mesa, Arizona, with the Arizona Complex League team.

Dan Feinstein, the assistant general manager of the Athletics, praised Morii’s abilities and commitment to the game. “He’s a very talented baseball player with enough athleticism and mobility to play both shortstop and pitch,” Feinstein noted, adding that Morii’s passion and determination to become one of Japan’s next great players stood out to the scouting team.

Morii is currently in the U.S. but plans to return to Japan briefly before officially joining the A’s in March. Throughout his discussions with various teams, he made it clear that his aspiration is to be a two-way player.

This signing is part of a broader strategy by the Athletics, who have relocated from Oakland and are gearing up to play in West Sacramento for the next three seasons before establishing a new ballpark in Las Vegas. Feinstein expressed gratitude to his scouting team, including director of international scouting Steve Sharpe, Pacific Rim coordinator Adam Hislop, and Japan scout Toshiyuki Tomizuka, who all played pivotal roles in securing this agreement. “Our scout in Japan built a strong relationship with Shotaro and his family,” Feinstein mentioned.

Morii has already begun improving his language skills by taking a summer English class. When asked if the success of other Japanese players in MLB influenced his decision to pursue a career in the U.S., he answered in English, “Yes, of course.” He acknowledged the history of players like Hideki Matsui, a former MVP in Japan who played for Oakland in 2011, as having an impact on his choice.

He spoke highly of the A’s organization and their communication about the team’s operations, stating, “This team has history.” However, he humbly refrained from comparing himself to Ohtani, acknowledging the distance he still has to cover to reach such heights: “Shohei is really a baseball player far away from me right now,” Morii reflected, adding that he aims to get closer to that level as quickly as possible.