Ichiro Suzuki: Five stories about the Japanese Seattle Mariners legend that prove his greatness

Ichiro Suzuki, the 2023 Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame Inductee, is more than an icon. Ichiro was born in Japan and made his name in the NPB, the top eschelon of pro baseball in his home country.

Upon his arrival in the MLB in 2000, Ichiro hit .350 and stole a league-best 56 bases to be crowned both the Rookie of the Year and the MVP Award, making him only the second-ever player to do so.

Ichiro Suzuki will be eligibe for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025. Today, we look back at the top five moments from his storied past.

Top 5 Ichiro Suzuki's storylines

5. 1994 NPB season

Many often forget that Ichiro Suzuki's pro baseball career happened long before he signed with the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2001 season. In 1994, playing for the Orix Blue Wave, Ichiro hit .385 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. While the NPB is not known for power the same way that the MLB is, these are massive numbers. His 1994 season came in the wake of a 500-foot home run in 1993 that became known as the "Shinkansen homer", named after Japan's 200-mph bullet train.

4. King of the High School

Ichiro Suzuki has succeeded at every level of baseball throughout his life, and high school was no different. At Meiden Secondary School in Toyoyama, Ichiro went 279-for-536, a batting average of .502. Additionally, Ichiro struck out only 10 times, earning himself a 97% connection rate. It was known early on that Ichiro would make a mark wherever he played.

3. "The hit King"

During the 2016 season, Ichiro Suzuki played for the Miami Marlins. In the ninth inning, Ichiro hit a double off San Diego Padres closer Fernando Rodney. With the hit, Ichiro recorded the 4,257th hit of his pro career between Japan and the USA. This technically means that he has the most hits of any player ever — including Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose, the all-time MLB hits leader.

"Ichiro Suzuki recorded his 4,257th professional career hit on Wednesday, surpassing Pete Rose's hit record." - Crying Jordan

2. 3,000th MLB hit

One of the most important milestones of Ichiro's career was his 3,000th career hit. In his 2016 season with the Marlins, Ichiro hit a triple off of Colorado Rockies pitcher Chris Rusin.

"From Ichiro's 1st hit to his 3000th. We look back at one of the all-time great MLB careers." - Sports Center

The triple made 2016 Ichiro's 12th career season with five or more triples. The hit was also the 3,000th of Ichiro's career. He retired three seasons later with 3,089 of them, putting him at number 24 on the all-time MLB hits leaderboard.

1. Single-season hit record

In October 2004, Suzuki ripped his 258th hit of the year with a single off of Texas Rangers reliever Ryan Drese. With the hit, Suzuki broke George Sisler's record of 257 hits in a season, set all the way back in 1920. Ichiro Suzuki finished the 2004 season with 262 hits, a single-season record that still stands to this day.

"OTD in 2004, Ichiro broke George Sisler's 84-year record for most hits in a season. He would end with 262 hits that season, a mark that might never be bested." - MLB Vault