Last month, LA Dodgers' star Shohei Ohtani became the brand ambassador for Rapsodo. It is a sports technology company that makes gadgets that use cameras and radars to track how baseball players hit and pitch.
Rapsodo released a commercial featuring Ohtani, who can be seen using the company’s gear to track his performance.
While the company has worked with college baseball players before, this is the first time they have partnered with a major league player as their brand ambassador.
“I wish these tools were available to me earlier. I think if I had something like this during my Little League years, how much better could I have been now?” Shohei Ohtani said (via MLB.com).
Rapsodo's Pro 2.0, the same technology that Shohei Ohtani uses, is available for preorder
Rapsodo has recently introduced its latest product, the Pro 2.0 ball flight monitor for baseball, which is now available to preorder on the company's official website.
Ohtani first began using Rapsodo’s gadgets while he was playing for the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. Many MLB and NPB players and coaches use Rapsodo technology to help players get better and to assess their skills.
“Since my pitching rehab started, I check to see if my pitching data matches the intention that I am throwing. I think being able to check the data helps smooth out my rehab process," Ohtani said using the technology for his pitching progress.
“I don’t think there is a 'too early' to start using these tools," Shohei Ohtani said. "The earlier you start, the earlier you can start seeing your own data as well as other players’ data to start comparing and you can expand on ways to improve your development as a player.”
Shohei Ohtani who excels at both the mound and at the plate, will only be a hitter this 2024 season. He is recovering from an elbow injury and is not expected to return to pitching until 2025.
On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers won 6-3 against the Miami Marlins, with Shohei Ohtani hitting a home run for the third consecutive game.