Last month, Dodgers' two-way ace Shohei Ohtani signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Rapsodo Baseball. He became their first technology ambassador as an active MLB player.
Ohtani shot an ad campaign for the company, known for making tracking devices. While the ad is already a hit, take a look at behind-the-scenes footage to see what went down when Rapsodo collaborated with the phenom who later shared the video on his Instagram Story.
Rapsodo Baseball launched a product that was nowhere to be seen in the world of baseball in 2022: a monitor that accurately tracks various stats for both hitters and pitchers, thereby depleting the requirement of having separate devices for each aspect.
The company immediately identified Shotime as the prime candidate to get on board with their technology-driven product, as time and again Ohtani has showcased his might in both aspects of the game.
Talking about the equipment in a pre-taped interview by Rapsodo Baseball, Shohei Ohtani said:
"The reality is that I used it myself. I thought that this was such a great tool and wished that I had started using it earlier. This goes for kids and growing athletes of all ages."
While Rapsodo Baseball is expanding its business targets by also focusing on college baseball, the second generation of the two-way machine, Pro 2.0, is being used in many NCAA Division 1 games as well.
Shohei Ohtani is a two-way talent like no other
Talents like Shohei Ohtani come once in a generation in baseball. To excel in either aspect of the game is a blistering achievement for the ballplayer, but to be on top of both simultaneously is an unimaginable feat. Shotime might be the greatest two-way ace in the history of this sport, and he has proved that time and again.
Currently leading the league as a hitter in almost all aspects this season, the left-handed slugger is slated to start pitching in 2025 for the LA Dodgers. He is sidelined from pitching this year after undergoing surgery on his pitching (right) elbow this past offseason to repair his UCL tear, sustained on August 23, 2023, in a game against the Reds.
During his tenure with the LA Angels, he won two MVP titles, and despite injuring his elbow, Shohei Ohtani finished 2023 with 44 home runs and an OPS of 1.066 while going 10-5 in his 23 starts last season, with an ERA of 3.14 and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings.