Ichiro Suzuki Ichiro Suzuki Position Right Field Team Seattle Mariners Years in Japan 9 years Years in Major League Baseball 5 years Age 32 Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Weight 172 lb (78 kg) Bats Left Throws Right College N/A 2005 Salary $12,529,000 Place of Birth Kasugai, Japan Selection Came from Orix Blue Wave in Japan Drafted by N/A Major League Debut April 2, 2001 Ichiro Suzuki, born October 22, 1973 in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is the right fielder for the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team. He moved to the United States in 2001 after playing for nine years for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. When the Blue Wave granted his release after the 2000 season, Ichiro signed a contract with the Mariners. He became the first Japanese-born everyday position player in the Major Leagues.
2004 was his most impressive (offensive) season yet, as he set several MLB records, including a new all-time, single-season Major League record with 262 hits. Ichiro is considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the MLB, winning a Gold Glove in each of his first five years in the majors.
