In 2018, Juan Soto, just 19 years old, made his major league debut with the Nationals and quickly became a star. Before assisting the Nationals to their first World Series victory in 2019, the Dominican outfielder came in second place to Ronald Acua Jr. in the voting for the NL Rookie of the Year. J
He won an astounding array of honors for Washington during the following three years, including two Silver Slugger awards, two All-Star selections, the 2020 National League Batting Title, and the 2022 Home Run Derby Championship.
After attempts to sign Soto to a long-term contract fell through, the Washington Nationals traded him to the San Diego Padres before the deadline in a massive deal that involved eight different players switching sides.. Here is all the information you require about the former Nationals superstar.
Dominican professional baseball player Juan José Soto Pacheco competes for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball as an outfielder (MLB). He joined the Nationals in 2015 as an international free agent. Juan made his MLB debut in 2018. Juan Soto, born on October 25, 1998, is a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Juan Soto is 24 years old as of the year 2022. See below for further information on Juan Soto. This page will shed light on Juan Soto’s biography, wiki, family background, age, birthday, relationships, scandals, rumors, and other interesting facts.
Juan Soto’s bio:
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 224 lbs
MLB experience: 5 seasons (2018-22)
Debut: May 20 May 20, 2018
Birthdate: October 25 October 25, 1998 (23 years old)
Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Agent: Scott Boras
Jersey number: No. 22
Instagram – juansoto_25
Juan Soto’s MLB stats:
On August 1 August 1, 2022, Juan Soto played his final game with the Nationals. He stole a base, went four times to the plate, hit a home run off of ex-teammate Max Scherzer, During that game, he smacked a home run and outran a runner at home.
Here are Soto’s final career statistics with the Nationals:
2,439 plate appearances, 1,954 at-bats across 565 games.
.427 on-base percentage,.538 slugging percentage and a batting average of 291
119 home runs, 9 triples, 108 doubles, 569 hits, and 38 stolen bases.
359 runs scored, 464 walks, 358 RBIs, and 399 strikeouts
When is Juan Soto a free agent?
After the 2024 campaign, shortly after he becomes 26 years old, Juan Soto will become a free agent. In his first press conference with the Padres, Soto was evasive when asked if he would be open to signing a long-term contract.
Juan Soto’s contact details:
As a Super 2 player eligible for arbitration in 2021, Juan Soto will be able to discuss his compensation one year earlier than most other players. From 2018 through 2020, he received the league minimum salary until agreements with the Nationals for 2021 and 2022 wages of $8.5 million and $17.1 million, respectively.
Why the Nationals traded Juan Soto:
During the 2022 season, the Nationals made Juan Soto three official extension proposals, the last of which was for 15 years and $440 million. He turned down all three, which eventually led to his transfer to San Diego. Soto had two and a half years of control left on his deal when Washington opted to move him at the height of his worth because they didn’t think they could sign him to an extension before he became a free agent.
What the Nationals received in Juan Soto trade:
In exchange for the first baseman Luke Voit, shortstop C.J. Abrams, left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore, outfielders Robert Hassell III, and James Wood, and right-handed pitcher Jarlin Susana, the Nationals sent Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres.
At the time of the trade, Voit was a six-year MLB veteran with two and a half years remaining on his contract. Former top prospects Abrams and Gore were amid their rookie campaigns. Hassell III and Wood were ranked 21st and 88th overall by MLB Pipeline, respectively, while Susana, an 18-year-old pitcher in the Arizona Complex League, was highly respected.
Juan Soto’s Home Run Derby performances:
At Dodger Stadium, Juan Soto defeated Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez 19-18 to win the 2022 Home, Run Derby. He was the fourth seed when he competed, which put him in a first-round showdown with the fifth-seeded José Ramrez.
Soto knew exactly how many home runs he needed to hit each time he entered the batter’s box because he was the higher seed in each match. He defeated Ramirez 18-17 before facing fellow Dominican superstar Albert Pujols in the following round. He defeated Rodrguez, who hit 63 home runs in the first two rounds, 16-15 to secure a position in the championship game.
Rodrguez smashed 18 home runs before handing up the bat to Soto, possibly worn out from all the big balls he had already hit. He needed more time to complete it, but he eventually hit that 19th home run to surpass Juan Gonzalez as the second-youngest Derby champion in MLB history.
Soto had previously participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby at Coors Field, the home of the Colorado Rockies. This was his second consecutive Derby appearance. Soto had hit the fewest long balls of any player (11) going into the All-Star Break, and he was the eighth and final seed that year.
In the first round, Soto faced off against Los Angeles Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani. They squared up in a game that would go down in history, and Soto’s three consecutive home runs in a swing-off sealed the outcome. Soto broke the previous mark for the biggest home run in Derby history with a bomb that travelled 520 feet.
However, his streak ended in the second round when eventual champion Pete Alonso defeated him. The New York Mets slugger defeated Baltimore Orioles infielder Trey Mancini for his second consecutive Derby victory.
