Hunter began playing baseball at the age of eight and football a few years later, excelling as both a quarterback and a free safety.

Early on in high school, Hunter was a stand-out in sports other than baseball, but would receive All-State honors for his junior and senior seasons.

He was subsequently sent down to Triple-A Salt Lake to work on his mechanics at the plate; however with Hunter's new approach at the plate, he caught fire in the month of June, capping it with a two-home run, seven-RBI game and being named the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week and Player of the Month.

After a 16-game hitting streak, four consecutive games with home runs and three grand slams, Hunter was recalled by the Twins on July 28.

Hunter was named both Best Defensive Outfielder and Most Exciting Player in Pacific Coast League by Baseball America for 2000.

One of the biggest moments came in the first inning, when, with two outs, Barry Bonds sent what appeared to be a towering home run to right-center field.

Hunter, who had built a reputation for his outfield thievery in the American League, jumped and caught the ball over the wall (accomplishing a personal goal he set of robbing one from Bonds).

[citation needed] Hunter, along with an improved team and solid bullpen pitching, led a resurgence in the latter half of the season which powered the Twins to win the American League Central Division.

Hunter missed much of the 2005 season after breaking his ankle and tearing ligaments when he attempted to scale the right field wall in Fenway Park on July 29.

On the last day of the 2006 regular season, Hunter hit his career-high 31st home run, helping the Twins to their fourth division title in five years.

[8] Hunter was selected to represent Los Angeles in the 2009 All-Star Game, making his third appearance, but he was unable to participate.

[10] On September 2, 2011, Hunter said in an interview with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that he wanted to retire as a member of the Angels,[11] but he became a free agent following the 2012 season.

Batting in front of Miguel Cabrera for most of the season, Torii was walked only 26 times, helping him to the highest at-bats total of his major league career (606), as well as a career-high 184 hits.

In Game 2 of the ALCS Hunter injured himself flipping over the low Fenway Park bullpen wall in pursuit of a David Ortiz game-tying grand slam.

On December 2, 2014, Hunter agreed to a one-year deal worth $10.5 million with the Minnesota Twins, with whom he had previously played from 1997 to 2007.

[16] During a game on June 10, 2015, Hunter was ejected by umpire Mark Ripperger and reacted by heaving pieces of equipment and then taking off his uniform shirt and throwing it to the ground.

On May 30, 2011, Hunter collected his 1,000th RBI off of Joakim Soria, which was also a go-ahead two-run home run to give the Angels a 9–8 lead, a game which they eventually won 10–8.

[23] Hunter contributes to many charities, including the "Torii Hunter Project Education Initiative", which provides college scholarships to students in California, Arkansas, Nevada and Minnesota, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, a partnership with Major League Baseball to help maintain and improve baseball diamonds in inner cities, the Big Brothers and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and in addition, Hunter helped fund construction of a youth softball field in Placentia, California in 2008.

It's like, 'Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?'

Though Hunter does not dispute the accuracy of the quotes, he has insisted that these statements merely distinguish between different cultures and do not reflect negative feelings toward other races.

[27] Hunter resides during the off-season in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex suburb of Prosper, Texas with his wife Katrina, whom he met in high school.

[32] Torii Jr. currently plays baseball professionally in the Angels organization after being selected by the team in the 23rd round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

The accuser recanted her claims first in a recorded telephone conversation and again in a deposition for a $10 million lawsuit Darius McClinton-Hunter filed against her for her false allegations.

[35] Hunter endorsed gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson in his successful attempt to become governor of Arkansas, citing their shared desire of "keeping marriage between one man and one woman.