Shohei Ohtani has been observed since high school; the Dodgers' vice president admits he did not expect him to be this outstanding.

No one foresaw Shohei Ohtani delivering such astonishing results in Major League Baseball, including David Finley, the Dodgers' vice president overseeing scouting.

When Finley first encountered Ohtani, he was working with the Boston Red Sox, and Ohtani was just a high school player from Hanamaki Higashi. Finley firmly believed in Ohtani’s exceptional hitting skills but never imagined he would become a one-of-a-kind talent. In an interview with Forbes, he shared insights from his long-term observation. Since Ohtani planned to move to the U.S. right after high school, attracting interest from many MLB teams, Finley thought his pitching talent was more worthy of investment than his hitting—an opinion widely held at the time, even after Ohtani decided to challenge the majors.

Finley said, “We knew he could hit, but high school and professional levels are completely different. We certainly didn’t expect him to become the hitter he is today.” Ultimately, Ohtani was strongly persuaded by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to start his professional career in Japan.

In 2017, Ohtani decided to take on the major leagues. After six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, he stunned the world at the end of 2023 by signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, helping the team win back-to-back World Series titles and becoming the first team in the 21st century to defend their championship. Finley said, “We always knew how talented he was, but he truly is a game-changer—not just an MVP or a superstar.”

Finley added, “Signing him really transformed the entire team. The Dodgers were already strong, but having him and his global superstar influence is incredible.”

Finally, Finley shared Ohtani’s personality off the field: “He’s a good person, very humorous, loves to joke around, and is extremely polite. Truly a wonderful individual, and of course, in the baseball world, he is simply unique.”