Why Shohei Ohtani is really the biggest LA athlete ahead of LeBron James, Luka Doncic & Matthew Stafford

There is no denying that Shohei Ohtani is one of the best baseball players on the planet. What he can do as a two-way player is nearly unbelievable, being a top-ranked hitter and a Cy Young candidate.

MLB Network named him the No. 1 player going into the 2025 season, but that is not the only list on which he holds the top spot. He has also been listed as the top LA athlete by FOX Sports.

Ohtani holds the top spot over NBA superstars LeBron James and the newly arrived Luka Doncic. Rounding out the top five are former teammate Mike Trout and current teammate Mookie Betts.

Putting Ohtani at the top of this list makes plenty of sense. For starters, he is coming off a year where he was vital in the Los Angeles Dodgers winning their eighth World Series title.

The two-way phenom is also coming off a season where he won his third MVP Award. He now has three, which ties him for the most among active players alongside Mike Trout.

Another reason Ohtani deserves his spot as the top LA athlete is that he is currently in his prime. LeBron James has done nearly everything an NBA player can accomplish, but he is no longer in his prime.

While Doncic is an exciting basketball player, he does not have the resume that Ohtani does. The same can also be said about Matthew Stafford, the top NFL player on the list.

Shohei Ohtani set to turn heads again when he makes a comeback on the mound later this season

Los Angeles Dodgers Workouts - Shohei Ohtani (Photo via IMAGN)

The biggest reason Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani excites so many fans is his ability to pitch and hit at a high level. It is something baseball fans have never seen before, with the only real comparison being Babe Ruth's short-lived two-way career.

Fans were unable to see Ohtani shine on the mound in 2024 as he was rehabbing from elbow surgery. Now, he is ready to return to the mound and has been ramping up his arm in camp.

In his first sessions, he sat 92-94 mph. However, he recently touched 95 mph a few days ago, which is a great sign for the superstar. While he still has some work to do, he looks more than ready to be successful when he returns to pitching, likely around May.