"The 30-year-old has taken the league by storm, serving as one of MLB's most prominent power threats while also being able to throw gems on the mound. Ohtani won the Rookie of the Year award with the Angels in 2018, and has won three MVP awards since. He has managed 50 home runs in each of his seasons with the Dodgers, and kept a 2.87 ERA through 14 starts in 2025."
""Yeah, I like to encourage kids who are trying the two-way to do it as long as possible as long as they're allowed to, as much as their talent level could take them," Ohtani said. "But I do encourage that." While Ohtani is currently MLB's only two-way player, several prospects have popped up in the minor leagues and given the designation a shot."
"The San Francisco Giants' Reggie Crawford has spent time both on the mound and at the plate, playing both positions in 2023. He served only as a pitcher in 2024, though, before landing on the season-long injured list in 2025. Additionally, 18-year-old Athletics prospect Shotaro Morii is another player with a two-way designation, however has only played the field in the Arizona Complex League."
Shohei Ohtani is the only active two-way player in MLB and has excelled as both an elite power hitter and an effective starting pitcher since 2018. He won Rookie of the Year in 2018 and three MVP awards, produced 50 home runs in each Dodgers season, and maintained a 2.87 ERA through 14 starts in 2025. Ohtani encourages young players to pursue two-way roles while talent and eligibility allow. Several minor-league prospects have taken two-way paths, though some have shifted to single roles or faced injuries. Ohtani's success has increased the perceived feasibility of two-way careers at the major-league level.
Read at Dodgers Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]