MLB players from Japan
72 MLB players on file were born in Japan. 15 are on MLB rosters now, among them Shohei Ohtani, Seiya Suzuki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Shohei Ohtani leads them with 57.6 career WAR. Every season since 1876 is on file.
On MLB rosters now (15)
| Player | Pos | Years | Seasons | Career | Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shohei OhtaniLAD | DH | 2018–2026 | 9 | 1,194 H · 310 HR · 57.6 WAR | Oshu, Japan |
| Seiya SuzukiCHC | RF | 2022–2026 | 5 | 683 H · 113 HR · 15.9 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Yoshinobu YamamotoLAD | SP | 2024–2026 | 3 | 33 W · 488 SO · 12.6 WAR | Okayama, Japan |
| Yusei KikuchiLAA | SP | 2019–2026 | 8 | 49 W · 1,078 SO · 8.2 WAR | Iwate, Japan |
| Shota ImanagaCHC | SP | 2024–2026 | 3 | 35 W · 465 SO · 6.6 WAR | Kitakyushu, Japan |
| Kodai SengaNYM | RP | 2023–2026 | 4 | 20 W · 395 SO · 5.0 WAR | Aichi, Japan |
| Masataka YoshidaBOS | DH | 2023–2026 | 4 | 383 H · 34 HR · 3.7 WAR | Fukui, Japan |
| Yuki MatsuiSD | RP | 2024–2026 | 3 | 12 W · 198 SO · 3.6 WAR | Yokohama, Japan |
| Jung Hoo LeeSF | RF | 2024–2026 | 3 | 336 H · 20 HR · 3.1 WAR | Nagoya, Japan |
| Tomoyuki SuganoCOL | SP | 2025–2026 | 2 | 22 W · 202 SO · 3.0 WAR | Kanagawa, Japan |
| Kazuma OkamotoTOR | 3B | 2026 | 1 | 132 H · 33 HR · 2.5 WAR | Nara, Japan |
| Munetaka MurakamiCHW | 1B | 2026 | 1 | 94 H · 35 HR · 2.3 WAR | Kumamoto, Japan |
| Roki SasakiLAD | SP | 2025–2026 | 2 | 6 W · 151 SO · 1.2 WAR | Iwate, Japan |
| Tatsuya ImaiHOU | SP | 2026 | 1 | 6 W · 97 SO · 0.4 WAR | Tochigi, Japan |
| Rikuu NishidaCHW | RF | 2026 | 1 | 7 H · 0 HR | Osaka, Japan |
Former MLB players (57)
| Player | Pos | Years | Seasons | Career | Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ichiro Suzuki | RF | 2001–2019 | 19 | 3,089 H · 117 HR · 56.5 WAR | Kasugai, Japan |
| Yu Darvish | SP | 2012–2025 | 13 | 115 W · 2,075 SO · 33.9 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Hiroki Kuroda | SP | 2008–2014 | 7 | 79 W · 986 SO · 20.8 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Hideo Nomo | SP | 1995–2008 | 12 | 123 W · 1,918 SO · 19.5 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Hideki Matsui | LF | 2003–2012 | 10 | 1,253 H · 175 HR · 18.6 WAR | Kanazaka, Japan |
| Masahiro Tanaka | SP | 2014–2020 | 7 | 78 W · 991 SO · 18.1 WAR | Itami, Japan |
| Hisashi Iwakuma | SP | 2012–2017 | 6 | 63 W · 714 SO · 16.8 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Koji Uehara | RP | 2009–2017 | 9 | 22 W · 572 SO · 11.7 WAR | Neyagawa, Japan |
| Tomo Ohka | SP | 1999–2009 | 9 | 49 W · 569 SO · 10.6 WAR | Kyoto, Japan |
| Norichika Aoki | RF | 2012–2017 | 6 | 774 H · 33 HR · 10.5 WAR | Hyuga City, Japan |
| Shigetoshi Hasegawa | RP | 1997–2005 | 9 | 45 W · 447 SO · 10.4 WAR | Kobe, Japan |
| Takashi Saito | RP | 2006–2012 | 7 | 21 W · 400 SO · 10.1 WAR | Miyagi, Japan |
| Daisuke Matsuzaka | RP | 2007–2014 | 8 | 56 W · 720 SO · 8.4 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Masato Yoshii | SP | 1998–2002 | 5 | 32 W · 447 SO · 6.7 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Hideki Okajima | RP | 2007–2013 | 6 | 17 W · 216 SO · 6.6 WAR | Kyoto, Japan |
| Akinori Otsuka | RP | 2004–2007 | 4 | 13 W · 217 SO · 6.3 WAR | Chiba, Japan |
| Kenta Maeda | RP | 2016–2025 | 9 | 68 W · 1,055 SO · 5.9 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Tadahito Iguchi | 2B | 2005–2008 | 4 | 494 H · 44 HR · 5.4 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Kazuo Matsui | 2B | 2004–2010 | 7 | 615 H · 32 HR · 4.5 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Kenji Johjima | C | 2006–2009 | 4 | 431 H · 48 HR · 4.5 WAR | Sasebo, Japan |
| Akinori Iwamura | 2B | 2007–2010 | 4 | 413 H · 16 HR · 4.0 WAR | Ehime, Japan |
| Kosuke Fukudome | LF | 2008–2012 | 5 | 498 H · 42 HR · 3.6 WAR | Osaki, Japan |
| Kazuhiro Sasaki | RP | 2000–2003 | 4 | 7 W · 242 SO · 3.4 WAR | Sendai City, Japan |
| Tsuyoshi Shinjo | CF | 2001–2003 | 3 | 215 H · 20 HR · 3.4 WAR | Fukuoka, Japan |
| Hideki Irabu | RP | 1997–2002 | 6 | 34 W · 405 SO · 2.6 WAR | Hyogo, Japan |
| Shingo Takatsu | RP | 2004–2005 | 2 | 8 W · 88 SO · 2.4 WAR | Hiroshima, Japan |
| Junichi Tazawa | RP | 2009–2018 | 9 | 21 W · 374 SO · 2.3 WAR | Yokohama, Japan |
| So Taguchi | OF | 2002–2009 | 8 | 382 H · 19 HR · 1.7 WAR | Hyogo Prefecture, Japan |
| Kenshin Kawakami | SP | 2009–2010 | 2 | 8 W · 164 SO · 0.9 WAR | Tokushima, Japan |
| Hisanori Takahashi | RP | 2010–2013 | 4 | 14 W · 221 SO · 0.8 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Yoshihisa Hirano | RP | 2018–2020 | 3 | 9 W · 131 SO · 0.7 WAR | Kyoto, Japan |
| Keiichi Yabu | RP | 2005–2008 | 2 | 7 W · 92 SO · 0.6 WAR | Mie, Japan |
| Mac Suzuki | RP | 1996–2002 | 6 | 16 W · 327 SO · 0.5 WAR | Kobe, Japan |
| Ken Takahashi | RP | 2009 | 1 | 0 W · 23 SO · 0.5 WAR | Kanagawa, Japan |
| Steve Chitren | RP | 1990–1991 | 2 | 2 W · 66 SO · 0.3 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Keith McDonald | C | 2000–2001 | 2 | 3 H · 3 HR · 0.2 WAR | Yokosuka, Japan |
| Kazuhito Tadano | RP | 2004–2005 | 2 | 1 W · 40 SO · 0.1 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Takashi Kashiwada | RP | 1997 | 1 | 3 W · 19 SO · 0.1 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Craig House | RP | 2000 | 1 | 1 W · 8 SO · -0.2 WAR | Naha Afb, Japan |
| Jim Bowie | 1B | 1994 | 1 | 3 H · 0 HR · -0.2 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Masa Kobayashi | RP | 2008–2009 | 2 | 4 W · 39 SO · -0.3 WAR | Yamanashi, Japan |
| Kazuhisa Ishii | SP | 2002–2005 | 4 | 39 W · 435 SO · -0.4 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Stephen Randolph | RP | 2003–2007 | 3 | 10 W · 134 SO · -0.4 WAR | Okinawa, Japan |
| Kazuo Fukumori | RP | 2008 | 1 | 0 W · 1 SO · -0.4 WAR | Miyakonojo, Japan |
| Satoru Komiyama | RP | 2002 | 1 | 0 W · 33 SO · -0.4 WAR | Chiba, Japan |
| Yoshinori Tateyama | RP | 2011–2012 | 2 | 3 W · 61 SO · -0.5 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Shinnosuke Ogasawara | RP | 2025 | 1 | 1 W · 30 SO · -0.5 WAR | Fujisawa, Japan |
| Masao Kida | RP | 1999–2005 | 5 | 1 W · 68 SO · -0.6 WAR | Tokyo, Japan |
| Takahito Nomura | RP | 2002 | 1 | 0 W · 9 SO · -0.6 WAR | Kouchi Prefecture, Japan |
| Kei Igawa | SP | 2007–2008 | 2 | 2 W · 53 SO · -0.7 WAR | Oarai, Japan |
| Yasuhiko Yabuta | RP | 2008–2009 | 2 | 3 W · 34 SO · -0.7 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Jeff McCurry | RP | 1995–1999 | 5 | 3 W · 60 SO · -0.8 WAR | Toyko, Japan |
| Norihiro Nakamura | 3B | 2005 | 1 | 5 H · 0 HR · -0.8 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Mike Nakamura | RP | 2003–2004 | 2 | 0 W · 38 SO · -0.9 WAR | Nara, Japan |
| Masumi Kuwata | RP | 2007 | 1 | 0 W · 12 SO · -1.0 WAR | Osaka, Japan |
| Ryota Igarashi | RP | 2010–2012 | 3 | 5 W · 72 SO · -1.5 WAR | Chiba, Japan |
| Tsuyoshi Nishioka | 2B | 2011–2012 | 2 | 50 H · 0 HR · -2.5 WAR | Daito, Japan |
Birthplace as ESPN lists it for each player. Best career first: WAR in the regular season, summed over the seasons on file.