Career Timeline of Juan Soto: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Juan Soto built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Juan Soto is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the New York Mets in MLB. Previously, he played for the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. Known for his exceptional hitting ability and plate discipline, Soto is a six-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a four-time All-Star. His career has been marked by both individual accolades and high expectations, establishing him as one of the premier offensive talents in baseball.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1998: First Player Born in 1998 to Appear in MLB

On May 20, 2018, Juan Soto became the first player born in 1998 to appear in a Major League Baseball game.

July 2015: Signs with Washington Nationals

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

2015: Soto signs with the Nationals

In 2015, Soto signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent, starting his professional baseball career.

September 2016: Promoted to Auburn Doubledays

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

May 20, 2018: Major League Debut

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

2018: The "Soto Shuffle" Emerges

During his rookie season in 2018, Juan Soto gained notoriety for his unique movements in the batter's box after taking a pitch for a ball, known as the "Soto Shuffle."

2018: Stellar Rookie Season

In 2018, Juan Soto had a stellar rookie season, slashing .292/.406/.517 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs, and was named NL Rookie of the Month three times. He finished second in voting for NL Rookie of the Year.

2018: Ascension Through the Minor Leagues

In 2018, Juan Soto started the season with Hagerstown, then was promoted to Potomac and later to Harrisburg before being called up to the major leagues by the Nationals in May.

2018: MLB Debut

In 2018, Soto made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut and was the runner-up for the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award.

2019: World Series Champion

In 2019, Soto played a key role in the Washington Nationals' first World Series championship, earning him the Babe Ruth Award.

2020: Home Run Distribution in 2020

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

2020: National League Batting Title

In 2020, Soto won the National League batting title with a .351 average.

2020: Shift to Right Field

Late in the 2020 season, the Nationals began deploying Juan Soto as their starting right fielder.

April 6, 2021: First Career Walk-Off Hit

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

2021: Disciplined Hitting and High Walk Totals

In 2021, Juan Soto batted .313/.465/.534 with 29 home runs and led the major leagues in on-base percentage, walk percentage, and intentional walks, establishing himself as one of baseball's most disciplined hitters. He also had the best walk/strikeout ratio in the majors.

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.

2021: Contract Extension Offer

Prior to the 2021-22 MLB lockout, the Nationals offered Juan Soto a 13-year, $350 million contract extension, which he declined.

March 22, 2022: Agrees to Contract with Nationals

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

August 2, 2022: Traded to San Diego Padres

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

2022: Trade to the Padres

At the 2022 trade deadline, Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres.

2022: 2022 Season Statistics

In 2022, Juan Soto played a total of 152 games, achieving a .242 batting average, hitting 27 home runs, recording 62 RBIs, and leading MLB with 135 walks. His walk percentage was 20.3%, the highest in the major leagues, and he had a walk/strikeout rate of 1.41, also the best in the majors. Notably, Soto swung at only 19.9% of pitches outside the strike zone, the lowest among major league batters in 2022.

2022: Rejects Contract Extension Offer

In 2022, Juan Soto reportedly rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract extension offer by the Washington Nationals.

January 13, 2023: Signed with the Padres

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

December 6, 2023: Traded to the New York Yankees

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

2023: Trade to the Yankees

Following the 2023 season, Soto was traded to the New York Yankees.

2023: World Baseball Classic Participation

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

December 11, 2024: Signed with the New York 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 2030–2039 that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year, which if declined would allow him to opt out after the 2029 season.

2024: Walk Rate and On-Base Percentage Ranking in 2024

By 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, highlighting his exceptional plate discipline.

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

Following a week of exceptional performance, including two home runs against the San Francisco Giants, Juan Soto was named the AL Player of the Week for the second time in 2024. Additionally, Soto was chosen as a starting outfielder for the American League in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

2024: Signs with the Mets

In 2024, after becoming a free agent, Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the largest contract in professional sports history. He also finished third in American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

2024: 2024 Season Statistics

In the 2024 season, Juan Soto finished with a batting average of .288, an on-base percentage of .419, and a slugging percentage of .569, complemented by 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. He also ranked second in MLB in walks, totaling 129.

2024: ALCS 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 2024 American League Championship Series, giving the Yankees a 5–2 lead over the Cleveland Guardians and propelling them to their first World Series appearance since 2009. Soto concluded the 2024 postseason with a .327/.469/1.102 slash line, 4 home runs, and 9 RBIs in 14 games. Following the World Series, Soto became a free agent.

2024: Contract Agreement with Yankees

Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Juan Soto and the Yankees agreed to a one-year contract worth $31 million, thus 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 member of the New York Mets. This solo home run against Hunter Brown, a pitcher for the Houston Astros, secured a 3–1 victory for the Mets and marked their first win of the season.

2025: 2025 Season Performance and Awards

In 2025, Juan Soto finished the season with a .263 batting average, a .396 on-base percentage, and a .525 slugging percentage. He hit a career-high 43 home runs and recorded 105 RBIs. Soto led the National League in both OBP and stolen bases, with a career-high of 38 stolen bases, and also 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 the award three consecutive years with three different teams.

2025: Joined the 30-30 club in 2025

In 2025, Juan Soto joined the 30–30 club after stealing his 30th base of the season during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He became 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. On September 9, Juan Soto joined the 30-30 club after stealing his 30th base of the season during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He became 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. Also, he and teammate Francisco Lindor became the third set of teammates in MLB history to ever go 30–30 in the same season, joining Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry (1987) and Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks (1996). On September 19 against the Washington Nationals, Soto hit his 42nd home run of the season, a three-run shot to center field off of pitcher PJ Poulin in the bottom of the 4th inning. With that homer, Soto set a new career high in home runs in a single season.

2029: Potential Opt-Out Year

The contract Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets on December 11, 2024, included a club option between 2030–2039 that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year, which, if declined, would allow him to opt out after the 2029 season.

2030: Club Option Period Start

The contract Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets on December 11, 2024 included a club option between 2030–2039 that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year.

2039: Club Option Period End

The contract Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets on December 11, 2024 included a club option between 2030–2039 that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year.