History of Juan Soto in Timeline

Juan Soto is a highly accomplished Dominican professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the New York Mets. Before joining the Mets, he played for the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. Soto's career is highlighted by his exceptional offensive skills, earning him six Silver Slugger Awards and four All-Star selections. He is considered one of baseball's premier hitters, known for his plate discipline, power, and overall offensive prowess.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1932: Lou Gehrig's 4 Home Runs

In 1932, Lou Gehrig was added to the list of Yankees to hit a homerun in 4 straight at-bats.

1961: Johnny Blanchard's 4 Home Runs

In 1961, Johnny Blanchard was added to the list of Yankees to hit a homerun in 4 straight at-bats.

1961: Expansion Era Begins

Since 1961 (expansion era), Soto became the first Yankee to hit a home run for 8 straight hits.

1962: Mickey Mantle's 4 Home Runs

In 1962, Mickey Mantle was added to the list of Yankees to hit a homerun in 4 straight at-bats.

1970: Bobby Murcer's 4 Home Runs

In 1970, Bobby Murcer was added to the list of Yankees to hit a homerun in 4 straight at-bats.

1977: Reggie Jackson's 4 Home Runs

In 1977, Reggie Jackson was added to the list of Yankees to hit a homerun in 4 straight at-bats.

May 1987: Darryl Strawberry's Milestone

In May 1987, Darryl Strawberry achieved a milestone that Juan Soto would later equal, to produce a calendar month with at least 10 homers and 20 walks.

1987: Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry's 30-30 Season

In 1987, Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry were teammates in MLB history to ever go 30-30 in the same season, joining Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor (2025)

1996: Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks' 30-30 Season

In 1996, Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks were teammates in MLB history to ever go 30-30 in the same season, joining Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor (2025)

October 25, 1998: Juan Soto's Birth

On October 25, 1998, Juan José Soto Pacheco was born. He is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder.

2000: Comparison to 2000 World Series Anticipation

In May 2025, Juan Soto's return to Yankee Stadium was compared to the anticipation surrounding the 2000 World Series between the Yankees and Mets.

2009: Yankees Last World Series Appearance

In 2009, was the last time before 2024 that the Yankees appeared in the World Series.

July 2015: Soto signed with the Washington Nationals

In July 2015, Juan Soto signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent for a $1.5 million signing bonus.

September 2016: Promotion to Auburn Doubledays

In September 2016, Juan Soto was promoted to the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League near the end of the 2016 season.

July 2017: MLB Pipeline Ranking

In July 2017, MLB Pipeline ranked Juan Soto as the Nationals' second-best prospect and the 42nd-best among all prospects.

September 2017: Second Rehabilitation Stint

In September 2017, Juan Soto had a second rehabilitation stint with the GCL Nationals of four games before injuring his hamstring and being shut down for the season.

May 20, 2018: Major League Debut

On May 20, 2018, Juan Soto made his major-league debut for the Washington Nationals against the Los Angeles Dodgers, becoming the youngest player in the major leagues at 19 years, 207 days.

2018: MLB All-Star Team Selection

After the 2018 season, Juan Soto was selected to the MLB All-Star Team for the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.

2018: "Soto Shuffle" Emerges

During his 2018 rookie season, Juan Soto became known for his movements in the batter's box after successfully taking a pitch for a ball, a routine dubbed the "Soto Shuffle."

2018: Stellar Rookie Season

In 2018, Juan Soto slashed .292/.406/.517, won three NL Rookie of the Month awards, and set multiple MLB teenage records, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

2018: Top Prospect and Promotions

In 2018, Juan Soto started the season with Hagerstown, later being promoted to the Potomac Nationals, and then to the Harrisburg Senators.

August 19, 2019: 100 Extra-Base Hits Milestone

On August 19, 2019, Juan Soto became only the fourth player in MLB history to record 100 extra-base hits before his 21st birthday.

2019: World Series Win and Babe Ruth Award

In 2019, Juan Soto and the Nationals won the World Series. Soto batted .333/.438/.741 with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs and was named co-winner of the 2019 Babe Ruth Award.

2019: Gold Glove Finalist

In 2019, Juan Soto was a finalist for a Gold Glove Award as a left fielder.

2019: Controversy Over "Soto Shuffle"

In Game 1 of the 2019 National League Championship Series, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas responded to Soto's antics by grabbing his own crotch after retiring Soto on a ground out, sparking controversy.

July 23, 2020: Positive COVID-19 Test

On July 23, 2020, it was announced that Juan Soto had tested positive for COVID-19, just before the opening game of the shortened 2020 season.

2020: Hitting Statistics

At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Soto had hit 69 career home runs in MLB and divided them evenly by direction: 23 to left field, 23 to center field, and 23 to right field.

2020: Started playing right field

Late in the 2020 season, Juan Soto began to be deployed as the Nationals' starting right fielder.

April 6, 2021: First Career Walk-Off Hit

On April 6, 2021, Juan Soto hit a walk-off single off Will Smith of the Atlanta Braves for his first career walk-off hit.

July 2021: Joey Votto's Hitting Streak

In July 2021, Joey Votto set a hitting streak record that Juan Soto would later tie in 2024.

2021: Everyday Right Fielder

In 2021, Juan Soto became the Nationals' everyday right fielder.

2021: Donation to Dominican Athletes

In 2021, Juan Soto donated $200,000 to Dominican athletes participating in that year's Summer Olympics.

March 22, 2022: Contract Agreement with Nationals

On March 22, 2022, Juan Soto agreed to a $17.1 million contract with the Nationals, avoiding arbitration.

August 2, 2022: Trade to the San Diego Padres

On August 2, 2022, Juan Soto and Josh Bell were traded by the Nationals to the San Diego Padres.

2022: Gift to Nick Martinez

After being traded to the Padres in 2022, Juan Soto gave Nick Martinez a "really nice watch" to retain his #22 uniform number.

2022: 2022 Season Statistics

In 2022, Juan Soto played a combined 152 games, achieving a .242 batting average, hitting 27 home runs, and recording 62 RBIs. He led MLB with 135 walks and had a major-league-leading walk rate of 20.3%.

2022: All-Star Game and Home Run Derby Win

In 2022, Juan Soto was named to the MLB All-Star Game and won the MLB Home Run Derby.

January 13, 2023: Soto signs with Padres

On January 13, 2023, Juan Soto signed a one-year, $23 million contract with the San Diego Padres, thus avoiding salary arbitration.

January 2023: Brother Signs with Nationals

In January 2023, Juan Soto's younger brother, Elian, signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent once he became eligible.

December 6, 2023: Soto Traded to Yankees

On December 6, 2023, Juan Soto and Trent Grisham were traded by the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees for Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez, and Kyle Higashioka.

2023: World Baseball Classic Performance

In 2023, Juan Soto played for the Dominican Republic national team in the World Baseball Classic. He led or tied for the team lead in hits, doubles, home runs, walks, and OPS. He also had an outfield assist against Nicaragua and hit a home run in a knockout loss to Puerto Rico.

December 11, 2024: Soto signs record contract with Mets

On December 11, 2024, Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, marking the largest contract in professional sports history. The contract included a $75 million signing bonus and a club option between 2030 and 2039 that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year. If the club declined the option, Soto could opt out after the 2029 season.

2024: Ranking in Plate Discipline

At the conclusion of the 2024 season, Juan Soto ranked 5th all-time in walk rate and 17th all-time in career on-base percentage among hitters with at least 4,000 plate appearances.

2024: Soto reaches the World Series, finishes third in MVP voting

In 2024, Juan Soto reached the World Series in his lone season with the New York Yankees, and finished third in American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

2024: AL Player of the Week and All-Star Selection

In 2024, Juan Soto was named the AL Player of the Week for the second time following a week of excellent performance, including two home runs against the San Francisco Giants. He was also selected as a starting outfielder for the American League in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

2024: 2024 Season Performance

In the 2024 season, Juan Soto finished with a .288 batting average, a .419 on-base percentage, and a .569 slugging percentage. He hit 41 home runs, recorded 109 RBIs, and was second in MLB with 129 walks.

2024: ALCS Game 5 Homer and World Series Appearance

On October 19, 2024, Juan Soto hit a three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, leading the Yankees to a 5–2 lead over the Cleveland Guardians and propelling them to their first World Series appearance since 2009. Soto finished the 2024 postseason with a .327 batting average, 4 home runs, and 9 RBIs in 14 games and subsequently became a free agent after the World Series, where the Yankees lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

2024: Soto avoids arbitration with Yankees

Prior to the 2024 season, Juan Soto and the New York Yankees agreed to a one-year contract worth $31 million, avoiding salary arbitration.

March 28, 2025: First Home Run as a Met

On March 28, 2025, Juan Soto hit his first home run as a Met, a solo shot to right field off Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown, securing a 3–1 victory for the Mets and their first win of the season.

2025: Joins 30-30 Club

In 2025, Juan Soto joined the 30-30 club after stealing his 30th base, becoming the first player in 2025, and the fifth Met in history, to finish a season with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases.

2025: Gift to Brett Baty

In 2025, after signing with the Mets, Juan Soto gave Brett Baty a Chevrolet Tahoe that had "thanks for #22" written on the rear windshield to retain his #22 uniform number.

2025: 2025 Season Review and Silver Slugger Award

Juan Soto finished the 2025 season with a .263 batting average, a .396 on-base percentage, and a .525 slugging percentage. He achieved a career-high of 43 home runs and 105 RBIs and he led the National League in OBP and stolen bases, with a career-high 38, and he led the league with 127 walks. After the season, Soto won his sixth career Silver Slugger Award, becoming the second player in MLB history after Mike Hampton to win in three consecutive years with three different teams.