Public statements or interviews given by MLB players during the 2025 season

Ichiro Suzuki Elected to Hall of Fame in First Ballot, First Japanese Inductee

Jan 21, 2025, 11:30 PM

Ichiro Suzuki has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming the first Japanese-born and Asian player to receive the honor. He received 99.7% of the vote, falling one vote short of unanimous election. Ichiro, who amassed 3,089 hits in Major League Baseball and a total of 4,367 hits across his professional career in Japan and the U.S., expressed his honor at the achievement, stating, "In 2001, when my MLB journey began, I could not have imagined being here today." He is also the first player to be inducted into both the Japanese and American Baseball Halls of Fame. He was the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001. CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were also elected, receiving 86.8% and 82.5% of the votes, respectively. The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the results on January 21, 2025. The induction ceremony will be held in July in Cooperstown, New York.