Japanese slugging ace pitcher Shohei Ohtani said Saturday he chose to join the Los Angeles Angels because he feels a "strong connection" to the team.

"I want to bring the championship back as a member of the Angels," the 23-year-old two-way phenom, who will move to the majors from Japan's Nippon Ham Fighters, told a press conference. "I can't wait to meet with my teammates."

Almost all 30 major league teams submitted a proposal to Ohtani, spelling out how they envisioned him developing his talents as both a hitter and a pitcher. Although he only chose to meet with seven teams, Ohtani expressed gratitude to all the clubs for their efforts.

"I am grateful to all the teams for their consideration," he told the public press conference in front of Angels Stadium. "It wasn't like this team was a favorite over others but rather that I felt something like a strong connection."

"I was open to every team."

Ohtani did say that he was happy to hear from Angels center fielder Mike Trout, widely considered the best player in MLB.

"He said the Angels are a good club and told me, 'I want to play alongside you.' That made me really happy."

Ohtani said he wants to continue both pitching and hitting at the ballclub based in Anaheim, California.

"It's something I will work on together with my fans and the team," said Ohtani. "I would like my fans to help me improve through their support."

The Angels announced the previous day that Ohtani will sign with the team through the posting system. Although Ohtani is rated higher for his pitching potential than for his hitting, the Angels seemed genuinely excited to maximize both.

"There's a lot of work ahead for us," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "There's a lot on his plate. It's our job to see how good a pitcher he can be, to see how good a hitter he can be."

"We definitely plan on his being a two-way player."

Angels general manager Billy Eppler said his club has created a plan to aid Ohtani's adjustment.

"But it was from a one-party perspective," Eppler said. "Now we can establish a new thorough plan (including Ohtani's views)."

Ohtani was put up for bid on Dec. 1 by the Fighters for the maximum $20 million posting fee. He had until 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 22 to agree to a contract with an MLB team.