Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks to the media. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani signed a long-term deal to become the ambassador of Rapsodo on April 22.
For the one who lives, eats, and breathes baseball.
Welcome to the #RapsodoSquad, Shohei. #PlayOn #PlayWithoutLimitshttps://t.co/tXhrW2gTuw pic.twitter.com/1PdTEK4W1o
— Rapsodo Baseball (@rapsodo) April 22, 2024
Rapsodo is a sports analytics company that empowers athletes and coaches to analyze and improve their game with affordable, portable, easy-to-use, data-driven sports technologies.
Rapsodo leverages measurements with tools so that athletes can achieve their best results regardless of their skill level.
Rapsodo technology had separate pitching and hitting monitors until they launched the first two-way machine in 2022. They have offices in the United States, Singapore, Turkey, and Japan.
According to Joe Lemire of Sports Business Journal on April 22, “The agreement came together shortly before the recent news revelation about Ohtani’s translator, Ippei Mizuhara, allegedly having stolen millions from the player to pay off gambling debts.”
Lemire also stated, “Rapsodo learned that Ohtani, then with the Angels, was already an organic user of the technology, and sponsorship conversations were finalized earlier this year.”
Jac Caglianone, the two-way star at the University of Florida and Oklahoma softball slugger Tiare Jennings, signed NIL deals with Rapsodo.
Rapsodo’s second-generation Pro 2.0 hitting/pitching monitor will be available this June.
Rapsodo has the technology to collect pitching velocity, spin rate, movement, and more, as well as launch angle and exit velocity among the series of hitting metrics.
Ohtani is the perfect ambassador for Rapsodo because of his ability to pitch and hit.
The left-handed designated hitter has spent seven seasons in Major League Baseball and been an All-Star three times in 2021-23, a two-time American League MVP in 2021 and 2023, won the AL Rookie of the Year in 2018, a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner in 2021 and 2023, led the AL in home runs in 2023, and led the AL triples in 2021.
Ohtani helped Japan win their third World Baseball Classic title in 2023. They beat the United States in the championship game 3-2 in Miami at loanDepot Park. He struck out his former teammate Mike Trout for the final out of the game. He won the 2023 WBC MVP and was selected to the All-World Baseball Classic Team.