Ichiro Suzuki was a prominent figure in baseball during the 2000s after transitioning from the Japanese League to the Seattle Mariners. As the first Japanese-born position player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, he paved the way for a generation of players. Suzuki is now enshrined as a Hall of Famer. In recognition of his induction into Cooperstown, this article ranks the 25 greatest Japanese-born players in MLB history.

The journey of Japanese players in MLB began with pitcher Masanori Murakami, who made history by appearing in a game in 1965. It would take 30 years before Hideo Nomo followed as the second player on that list. Today, MLB rosters showcase a wealth of international talent, including stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, and upcoming rookies like Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The following rankings are based solely on MLB statistics, focusing on those who had the best careers in the league, rather than their broader professional careers. Before unveiling the top 25, some honorable mentions are noted.

Honorable mentions include pitchers Yoshihisa Hirano, Hideki Irabu, Kazuhisa Ishii, Kenshin Kawakami, Yusei Kikuchi, Yuki Matsui, Masanori Murakami, Tomo Ohka, Hirokazu Sawamura, Mac Suzuki, Hisanori Takahashi, Shingo Takatsu, Junichi Tazawa, Keiichi Yabu, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Masato Yoshii. Among the hitters are Kosuke Fukudome, Munenori Kawasaki, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, So Taguchi, Yoshi Tsutsugo, and Masataka Yoshida. The countdown begins with Akinori Iwamura, who played from 2007 to 2010, amassing 408 games, a 92 OPS+, and a 4.5 WAR. Following him are other standout players including Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Kenji Johjima, Shota Imanaga, and Kazuo Matsui, alongside various statistical metrics that further illustrate their contributions and impact in MLB.