Shohei Ohtani Spring Training Scouting Report
Observations from a week spent watching the Los Angeles Dodgers training in Glendale, Arizona.
Ohtani has an aura
It’s something that can’t be trained. Some players just have that “It” factor. When Ohtani walked out of the locker room and headed to the practice fields, he sucked all the air out of the outdoor grounds. His mere appearance was electric. Heads turned, crowds flocked.
Even with the extra attention, cameras and fanfare, Ohtani went about his work diligently. Some players put on a show or walk like they think they’re the man. Ohtani just naturally moves about his work and the aura speaks for itself. He’s a commanding presence, not because he’s trying to flex, he’s just naturally become an icon.
Beatlemania begins
The crowds. The screaming. And possible crying from dozens of Japanese women who jammed into tight spaces to get a distant glimpse of Ohtani behind the barricades. When rumors of him moving from one field to another trickled out, the crowds moved fast. Starting with dozens of international camera crews, toting gear, mics, ladders and lenses. Followed soon after by kids and adults. Legit stampedes to catch a glimpse, try for an autograph or selfie.
Minting new baseball fans
It was interesting to overhear the comments from those new to the game. People who obviously showed up for the hype of it all, and ended up getting a tutorial and behind the scenes look at the game. From the most basic things like marveling that a player swung two bats while they were warming up. To audible gasps and reactions to seeing a major league curveball actually curve up close.
In my week of visiting the Dodgers’ training grounds, I heard long time fans explaining all sorts of baseball details to the uninitiated. From breaking down what the “infield fly rule” is, to giving detailed histories of other players behind Ohtani. While Ohtani and Yamamoto drew the crowds, you could also feel new fan favorites emerging through all the spring training interactions.
Especially in Japan, there absolutely will be an Ohtani Effect. Expect players like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Tyler Glasnow to be full on icons on the other side of the world. And Joe Kelly, man, the fans loved him. Probably because he is already a part of the Ohtani legend after his wife was gifted a Porsche by the man himself—as a payment/apology for Ohtani taking Kelly’s uniform number 17.
Even Dodger OGs have never seen it like this
Another thing I kept hearing was that Dodgers’ training camp was never this full before. Some OGs lamented not being able to stand on the front lines or have as much access to the players due to the crowds. Others saw it as exciting buzz for a team already steeped in hype and needing an on field push forward to get over the hump.
The adult autograph hounds were definitely the grumpiest. I saw two young men, fully decked out in Ohtani jerseys grumble as soon as they got inside the gate. They turned around to leave before even attempting to join the crowd. The gate attendant asked where they were going, and they replied that it wasn’t like this last year and that they were just going to go to another team’s grounds to get autographs.
The most focused player by far
Baseball practice, especially early in spring training can have a lot of down time. It’s a time for players to mingle and build chemistry. It also just takes time to switch up the field for different types of training. To roll in all the batting cages for batting practice, or bring out the nets for outfield cutoff drills. There’s not a whole lot of activity in these in between times.
So it was notable that every single moment Ohtani was on the field, he was working on something. No idle chat. Just focused effort. From checking his swing alignment, to taking phantom cuts, to simply timing a bullpen pitcher’s throw by tapping his front foot. The dude is fully locked in and actively looking to work on something at all times. It reminds me of the attention to craft of a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Every moment is a chance to improve incrementally. Because of this, I expect Ohtani to continue to improve and push his own ceiling.
The dude is a beast
He’s the biggest player on the team. When the team gathered up for huddles, he clearly rose above the pack. Only Tyler Glasnow, who is an NBA worthy 6’8” has Ohtani beat in height. And as Ohtani was going through his strength training, it was clear he’s added muscle during the offseason. He is ripped. Not that he was ever weak, but he’s clearly been working on his strength training.
When he hopped into the batter’s box for his first round of batting practice, he effortlessly sent balls over the wall in all directions. These were his first live swings since his elbow surgery, and with little visible effort, he was absolutely raking the ball. Fans and teammates took note. The man is quite literally built different.
The crack of his bat is like nothing else
Big leaguers have such tight and compact swings that the ball cracks off the bat at a different level than mere mortals. This is why they are pros. They are able to continually put an aggressive swing, accurately on the ball. And the result is a satisfying echo of wood on leather.
However, all swings are not built the same. When Ohtani connects with the ball, it sounds like a shotgun blast. This is something we’ve heard people like Dodger’s manager Dave Roberts mention. The ball sounds different off Ohtani’s bat. Standing next to other Dodger sluggers during BP was impressive. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman can both launch the ball. But when Shohei steps up to the plate, there is a whole other level of explosion off the bat. His mix of mechanics and bat speed create unique impact, and it’s no surprise that he hits some of the longest home runs of this era.
Effortless swing
There’s something about lefty sluggers that has always felt effortless. Of course the iconic Ken Griffey Jr. is known for having one of the sweetest swings of all time. It’s almost like he used to swing in slow motion, until the ball rocketed off his bat. Griffey’s logo was the “Swingman” afterall.
Ohtani is in a similar class. It makes sense, given he is also a lefty and grew up idolizing Griffey. In fact, it seems that as Ohtani gets more comfortable in the majors, that his swing is becoming even simpler and more efficient. Gone are the days of his exaggerated leg kick. Now he keeps his front foot connected to the ground and simply pivots it sideways to load his swing, before transferring all of his energy forward and through the ball. His slow motion practice swings are essentially identical to his game time, full power swings. He’s simplified his mechanics and is getting even closer to a Griffey level of gliding swing.
Looks like he’s having a blast
And who wouldn’t. Here is a guy who loves baseball and is making a fortune doing so at the highest level. He’s clearly grown comfortable with the frenzy of media attention, and appears to be able to handle all of his business. He did keep in somewhat of a bubble during the training sessions, as opposed to some teammates who made a point to interact with fans and sign autographs. Ohtani would hand out a couple of autographs every now and then, but mostly he would quickly run through the public areas to get to his next station.
However on the grounds, Ohtani was all smiles. Joking around with teammates and sharing little tips here and there. As mentioned earlier, he was mostly practicing his swing when on the field, but he wouldn’t do it in isolation, as he carried on conversations with coaches and teammates. He also took some time to pose for photos with some of the kids for teammates and coaches. One time he showed a young boy how to do a medicine ball drill, which led to some good laughs.
Even his teammates are impressed
For the reasons mentioned above, even his teammates paid special attention to Ohtani’s training. Extra players would gather around his BP sessions, or pick his brain after his repetitions. Even these big league teammates looked impressed. Raising their eyebrows or hitting each other after seeing Ohtani’s titanic batting practice home runs.
You could see some of the role players on the team rolling their eyes at the extra media attention and making little side comments. But all of the main Dodgers seemed really hyped to have Ohtani aboard. And why wouldn’t they be. Having Ohtani in the lineup will make their jobs easier and end up helping out their stats and chances of winning big. You could see the other members of the big three, Betts and Freeman, bonding with Ohtani instantly. When Ohtani hit his first spring training homerun, Freddie Freeman was all smiles and was the first to congratulate his new teammate. They looked like little leaguers out there, just having fun with the game. That’s what you like to see at the pro level. Put the egos aside and put on a show.
Feels like his team already
The gravity of the players, coaches and fans already moves in Ohtani’s orbit. Players walk on pins and needles, giving him space to get his mind and game right. Coaches allow him to dictate his own training regimen and pace. When Shohei steps onto the grounds, everything else stops. The cameras turn. The kids rush.
By far the #1 jersey worn by fans at spring training was Ohtani’s new #17. The Dodgers are a team that has been searching for an identity for a while now. While they won the World Series in 2020, it was the “bubble series” where fans weren’t allowed to watch in stadium. Aside from that win, there’s a feeling that LA has underperformed. They’ve been a great regular season team, but haven’t been able to win enough to satisfy the fanbase. Now with even more high profile players, and a legitimate big three of former MVPs, the Dodgers are stacked with icons. And judging by the murals that are going up every day in Los Angeles, Shohei Ohtani will be the face of the Dodgers, as well as all of baseball.
Andrew “Oyl” Miller is an advertising Creative Director and Copywriter. He spent 15 years working at Wieden+Kennedy on brands like Nike, PlayStation and IKEA. You can check out his work on his website.