Ohtani's Jersey from WBC Sells for $1.5 Million

Shohei Ohtani's jersey, worn during Japan's 13-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic on March 6, has been sold for $1,500,010 through MLB Auctions. This sale represents the highest amount ever paid for an Ohtani jersey at auction.

In that particular game held at the Tokyo Dome, Ohtani made a significant impact by hitting a grand slam and driving in five runs. Throughout the World Baseball Classic, he maintained an impressive batting average of .462 and an OPS of 1.842. Japan, which ultimately won the 2023 championship, was eliminated by Venezuela in the quarterfinals.

The seven-day auction for Ohtani's No. 16 jersey attracted a remarkable 298 bids, showcasing a stark increase compared to the $126,100 fetched by his jersey from a pool play game against Australia earlier in 2023.

There is a growing enthusiasm among collectors for Ohtani memorabilia. In recent months, two cards featuring game-worn patches from Ohtani jerseys and signed by him have sold for over $2 million at auction. One notable sale was the 2025 Topps Chrome MVP Award Gold MLB Logoman Ohtani card, which was sold for $3 million just before Christmas, and another card featuring both Ohtani and Aaron Judge that sold for $2.16 million on March 20.

Additionally, Ohtani's 50th home run ball from 2024, which marked the first-ever 50-50 season in MLB history, was sold for $4.39 million to Taiwanese investment firm UC Capital in October 2024. This amount currently remains in escrow due to ongoing litigation regarding the ball's ownership, with a jury trial set to take place in the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida on July 20.