Juan Soto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Juan Soto |
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Soto with the San Diego Padres in 2022
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| New York Mets – No. 22 | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: October 25, 1998 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
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| debut | |||
| May 20, 2018, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) |
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| Batting average | .285 | ||
| Hits | 934 | ||
| Home runs | 201 | ||
| Runs batted in | 592 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Juan José Soto Pacheco (born October 25, 1998) is a famous baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He plays as an outfielder for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining the Mets, he played for the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. Juan Soto is known for his amazing skills and has won many awards, including five Silver Slugger Awards and being chosen for the All-Star team four times.
Soto started his professional journey when he signed with the Nationals in 2015. He made his big league debut in 2018. In 2019, he helped the Nationals win their first-ever World Series championship. He also won the National League batting title in 2020, hitting for a very high average. After playing for the Padres and Yankees, Soto signed a huge contract with the Mets, which is the largest in professional sports history. He is also famous for his unique moves at the plate, called the "Soto Shuffle."
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Juan Soto's Early Life
Juan Soto was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. His parents are Juan Soto, Sr. and Belkis Pacheco. He has an older sister and a younger brother named Elian. Elian also plays baseball and signed with the Nationals organization in 2023. Juan's father was a salesman and played catcher in a local baseball league. He encouraged Juan to love baseball from a young age.
Juan Soto's Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minor Leagues
Juan Soto began his professional baseball career in July 2015. He signed with the Washington Nationals for a large bonus of $1.5 million. In 2016, he played for the Gulf Coast League Nationals. He was named the league's most valuable player because he hit very well. Later that year, he moved up to the Auburn Doubledays.
In 2017, Soto played for the Hagerstown Suns. He started strong but got injured sliding into home plate. He returned later but had another injury. Even with injuries, he showed great potential. By 2018, he was considered one of the best young players in the minor leagues. He quickly moved through different teams like the Potomac Nationals and Harrisburg Senators.
First Big League Games
On May 20, 2018, Juan Soto made his debut in Major League Baseball with the Washington Nationals. He was only 19 years old, making him the youngest player in the league. In his very first start, he hit a three-run home run. This was a huge moment and he became the youngest player in the team's history to hit a home run. People quickly noticed his talent.
Soto continued to impress throughout his rookie season. He was named the NL Rookie of the Month three times. He set many records for teenage players, including the most walks and highest on-base percentage. He finished second in the voting for NL Rookie of the Year.
Becoming a World Series Champion
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In 2019, Juan Soto continued to shine. He became one of only a few players in MLB history to get 100 extra-base hits before turning 21. He also hit 30 home runs before his 21st birthday.
During the 2019 playoffs, Soto was a key player for the Nationals. In a crucial game against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit a single that brought in three runs, giving his team the lead. This helped the Nationals advance. He also hit important home runs in the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Nationals made it to the 2019 World Series against the Houston Astros. In Game 1, Soto hit a home run, becoming one of the youngest players to do so in a World Series. Game 3 of the series was on his 21st birthday, which was a special moment. He hit another home run in Game 5 and a go-ahead home run in Game 6. The Nationals won the World Series, their first ever! Soto was a hero, hitting well and helping his team win the championship. He even shared the Babe Ruth Award for his amazing postseason play.
Winning the Batting Title
The 2020 baseball season was shorter than usual. Juan Soto missed some games early on due to a positive test for COVID-19. However, he came back strong. He hit some of the longest home runs of his career.
Despite missing time, Soto qualified for the batting title. He became the youngest player in the National League to win it, hitting an incredible .351 average. He also led all players in on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He won his first Silver Slugger Award and was named to the All-MLB First Team. Even with Soto's amazing performance, the Nationals did not make the playoffs that year.
All-Star Seasons
In 2021, Soto continued to show his incredible skills. He hit his first career walk-off hit, which means he got a hit that won the game for his team in the final inning. He was chosen as an All-Star for the first time. Soto also took part in the Home Run Derby, where he competed against other top sluggers.
He was known for his amazing plate discipline, meaning he rarely swung at pitches outside the strike zone. He led the league in walks, getting on base a lot for his team. After the season, he won another Silver Slugger Award and was again named to the All-MLB First Team. He finished second in the voting for the National League MVP Award.
In 2022, Soto hit his 100th career home run. He was one of the youngest players in MLB history to reach this milestone. He was again named an All-Star and won the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.
Moving to New Teams
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On August 2, 2022, Juan Soto was traded from the Nationals to the San Diego Padres. This was a very big trade in baseball. Just ten days later, he played against his old team in Washington. The fans gave him a long standing ovation, showing their appreciation for him. For the rest of 2022, Soto continued to show his great plate discipline, leading the league in walks.
In 2023, Soto played in all 162 games for the Padres. He hit 35 home runs and again led MLB in walks.
On December 6, 2023, Soto was traded again, this time to the New York Yankees. He quickly made an impact, being named the American League Player of the Week early in the 2024 season. He continued to have an amazing year, hitting many home runs and reaching new career highs. He became the seventh-youngest player in MLB history to hit 200 career home runs.
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Soto helped the Yankees reach the 2024 World Series, their first since 2009. He hit a crucial three-run home run in the playoffs to help them advance. After the World Series, Soto became a free agent.
Joining the New York Mets
On December 11, 2024, Juan Soto signed a huge 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. This is the largest contract in the history of professional sports. This means he will be playing for the Mets for a long time.
Juan Soto's Playing Style
Juan Soto is famous for his amazing plate discipline. This means he is very good at knowing which pitches to swing at and which to let go by. He ranks among the best players ever in getting walks and having a high on-base percentage.
Soto is also known for his unique moves in the batter's box, which people call the "Soto Shuffle." After he takes a pitch for a ball, he might swing his hips, wipe the dirt with his foot, or stare at the pitcher. He says he started doing this to get into the minds of the pitchers.
He also uses a special "two-strike approach" when he has two strikes against him. He changes his grip on the bat and lowers his stance. This helps him hit the ball to all parts of the field, even when he's close to striking out.
Soto has played both left field and right field. He prefers playing right field and has become the Nationals' everyday right fielder. He is a strong defender in that position.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Soto (beisbolista) para niños
- List of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Washington Nationals team records
