Shohei Ohtani hits it out of the park as Dodgers star named Konami's ambassador for milestone anniversary of iconic video games

Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers was the largest contract ever dished out in MLB history. In the wake of the historic deal, the reigning MVP has seen his already sky-high popularity increase even more.

Although his fame in the United States is tremendous, his fame in his home nation of Japan is also at another level.

Power Pros was first introduced in 1994, which also happens to be the year of Shohei Ohtani's birth. The game was developed by Konami Group and it enables its users to compete as caricatures of NPB teams and players.

The game recently announced that Shohei Ohtani will be the brand ambassador of Power Pros for the year, as the game celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Additionally, the former Los Angeles Angels star was also named game ambassador for Professional Baseball Spirits, a spin-off of Power Pros, also created by Konami.

Created in 2004, Professional Baseball Spirits features a more realistic gameplay experience and has been likened to MLB The Show, a baseball video game series created by PlayStation Studios.

Although Power Pros is a more beloved and classic game, Professional Baseball Spirits is more popular in Japan, drawing some 22 million downloads in 2020. This number, however, pales in comparison to the estimated 55 million people in Japan who watched Ohtani pitch in the finale of March's World Baseball Classic at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins.

2024 will be a massive season for Shohei Ohtani

Under the terms of his deferred deal, Ohtani will draw a mere $2 million in salary from the Los Angeles Dodgers until his contract expires in 2034, with the remaining amount to be paid thereafter.

Although this salary represents a $28 million pay cut from last year, Shohei Ohtani will be able to compensate with his endorsements. In addition to the Konami games, Ohtani also has deals with Kose Corp. and Seiko watches.

Undoubtedly, these partnerships will ensure that the Japanese star is in line to net far more than $2 million per year.