The Top Asian Players in MLB History
Baseball might be as American as apple pie, but nowadays it’s become a much more global sport. One of the continents where baseball has been truly surging in popularity is Asia, which has seen a number of leagues pop up in a variety of different countries in the region. These include the Chinese Professional Baseball League, which despite its name, is actually the top-tier in Taiwan; the China National Baseball League, which is China’s number one league; and then there’s Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, which could very well be a rival to the Major League.
It’s not just in their own countries that players from the continent have impressed though, as there’s also been a number of Asian athletes who have made their mark over here in the MLB. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most memorable then, as we discuss our picks for the top Asian players in MLB history.
Shin-Soo Choo
Known as the star of South Korean baseball, Shin-Soo Choo is definitely in the number 1 spot when it comes to naming the top 5 MLB players from Korea. He first became noticed by MLB scouts when he was selected as both the MVP and the Best Pitcher of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, when he helped power South Korea to victory. This then lead to him being signed to the Seattle Mariners, with him getting a $1.35 million contract. He didn’t get to play in the MLB straight away mind, with him spending most of his first season and a half in the minor leagues.
Choo didn’t let this set him back too much though, and he worked hard at impressing those he needed to, converting to the outfield during this time. His tenacity paid off, and he went on to enjoy a 15-year career in the MLB, playing for the Mariners, the Cleveland Indians, the Cincinnati Reds, and then the Texas Rangers. Despite being plagued by injury problems at times, Choo won many fans at the Rangers, and was voted into the All-Star team in 2018.
Hideo Nomo
A true trailblazer, Hideo Nomi started the Asian invasion of the MLB, when he signed for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. Despite the fact that he wasn’t technically the first Asian player to play in the league (with that being Masanori Murakami, who turned out for the San Francisco Giants back in the 1964-65 season) Nomo was the one that made everyone sit up and take notice of the potential of players from that part of the world.
Thanks to his ultra-unique ‘tornado’ style of pitching, Nomo became one of the most adored players in the league, helping ignite a passion for baseball in a slew of Asian countries. That’s why it’s now watched in places like Thailand, where viewers enjoy devouring MLB games, and even betting on results, with the rise of online bookmakers allowing bettors to take a punt on every ball game.
The best of these can be found over at Asia Bet, who have the leading online sports betting (พนันกีฬาออนไลน์) sites in the region. Their experts have found out just how to bet using Thai baht, and give visitors all the information needed to do this safely. Plus, with every website being carefully examined, and thoroughly reviewed, there’s no need to worry about a thing.
Ichiro Suzuki
However subjective at times these kinds of lists can be, it would have been an absolute crime against baseball not to include Ichiro Suzuki. The now retired Japanese outfielder began his special career in Japan, where he played for the Orix Buffaloes. He then became the first ever position player from Japan to sign for an MLB team, when he moved to the Seattle Mariners in 2001. However, there was a lot of doubt from American pundits and fans, who felt that his relatively small stature would make him too frail when facing off against MLB pitchers.
Well, Suzuki didn’t half make all the doubters eat their words though, as he had an exceptional debut season for the Mariners, producing an immense rookie record-breaking 242 hits. He also became the only player in MLB history to start in the All-Star game, win the Silver Slugger Award, the Rookie of the Year, the Gold Glove Award and the MVP, all in one single season. No wonder he became such a hero for not just Japanese baseball fans, but baseball fans worldwide.
