Terms of the deal for Ohtani, a marketing bonanza who spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Angels, were not disclosed but it was reportedly the largest in baseball history, worth more than $700 million (£558m) over 10 years.

"I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team," Ohtani wrote on Instagram.

Ohtani thanked the Angels fans and organisation for six years that he said would be "etched in my heart forever".

"And to all Dodgers fans, I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and always continue to give it my all to be the best version of myself.

"Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to strive forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world."

The Dodgers had been favoured to emerge as the winners of the Ohtani sweepstakes following a courtship which came down to a handful of teams that reportedly included the Angels, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays.

Ohtani's agent Nez Balelo said in a statement the deal would be worth $700 million over 10 years, a historic figure that smashed the previous record baseball contract as well as bettering the largest deals ever agreed in the NFL and NBA.

Balelo described Ohtani's mammoth payday as a "unique historic contract, for a unique historic player".

"Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organisation," Balelo said. "He is excited to begin this partnership."

The previous largest contract awarded in baseball was the 12-year, $426.5 million extension handed to Ohtani's Angels team-mate Mike Trout in 2019.

Until Ohtani's deal, the largest contract in any sport in North America belonged to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who agreed a 10-year, $450 million extension in 2020.

Ohtani has taken Major League Baseball by storm since landing in the league in 2018, with his almost unheard of combination of elite pitching and hitting prowess earning him comparisons to Babe Ruth.