Ichiro Suzuki emerged as one of the most recognizable figures in baseball during the 2000s after making the transition from the Japanese League to the Seattle Mariners. His arrival not only marked a significant milestone as the first Japanese-born position player in MLB history but also paved the way for a generation of players from Japan. Recognized for his remarkable contributions to the sport, Suzuki is now enshrined as a Hall of Famer. In celebration of his induction into Cooperstown, this article provides a countdown of the 25 greatest Japanese-born players in MLB history.

The journey for Japanese players in Major League Baseball began with pitcher Masanori Murakami, who made history by becoming the first player from Japan to compete in an MLB game in 1965. It took another 30 years before Hideo Nomo followed him as the second Japanese player in the league. Today, MLB rosters are enriched with talent from around the globe, including prominent stars like Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, and 2024 rookies Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Rankings within this countdown are based on MLB statistics alone, focusing on players' performances in the Major Leagues rather than their entire professional careers. Before delving into the top 25, a selection of honorable mentions will be noted.

Among the pitchers recognized are 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, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, as well as Masato Yoshii. Notable hitters include Kosuke Fukudome, Munenori Kawasaki, Tsuyoshi Shinjo, So Taguchi, Yoshi Tsutsugo, and Masataka Yoshida. The countdown begins with the following players.