History of Juan Soto in Timeline

Juan Soto is a professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the New York Mets. Previously, he played for the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and New York Yankees. A highly decorated player, Soto has earned recognition as a six-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a four-time All-Star, establishing himself as one of the premier outfielders in Major League Baseball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1932: Lou Gehrig's Record

In 1932, Lou Gehrig became one of the Yankees to hit a home run in 4 straight at-bats.

1961: Johnny Blanchard's Record

In 1961, Johnny Blanchard became one of the Yankees to hit a home run in 4 straight at-bats.

1961: Yankees Expansion Era

Since 1961, no Yankee had hit a home run for 8 straight hits.

1962: Mickey Mantle's Record

In 1962, Mickey Mantle became one of the Yankees to hit a home run in 4 straight at-bats.

1970: Bobby Murcer's Record

In 1970, Bobby Murcer became one of the Yankees to hit a home run in 4 straight at-bats.

1977: Reggie Jackson's Record

In 1977, Reggie Jackson became one of the Yankees to hit a home run in 4 straight at-bats.

May 1987: Darryl Strawberry's Record

In June 2025, Juan Soto joined Darryl Strawberry (May 1987) as the only Mets to produce a calendar month with at least 10 homers and 20 walks.

1987: Howard Johnson and Darryl Strawberry 30-30 record

In 2025, Juan Soto 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).

1989: Comparison to Ken Griffey Jr.

After the game, Juan Soto became the youngest major league player since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989 to be intentionally walked in a game.

1993: Home Run Derby Winner Comparison

In 2022, Juan Soto became the second youngest Home Run Derby winner behind Juan González who won in 1993; Soto was one day older.

1996: Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks 30-30 record

In 2025, Juan Soto and teammate Francisco Lindor became the third set of teammates in MLB history to ever go 30–30 in the same season, joining Dante Bichette and Ellis Burks (1996).

October 25, 1998: Juan Soto's birth

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

1998: First player born in 1998

On May 20, 2018, Juan Soto became the first player born in 1998 to appear in a major-league game.

2000: Anticipated Meeting Since 2000 World Series

Juan Soto made his first return to Yankee Stadium since signing with the Mets on May 16. His return to the Stadium was described on ESPN.com as "perhaps the most anticipated meeting between the clubs since the 2000 World Series."

2004: Comparison to Barry Bonds

Despite missing some time in September, Juan Soto qualified for the batting title and became the youngest player in National League history to win, hitting .351 during the regular season. In 2020, Soto also led all qualified hitters in MLB in on-base percentage (.490), slugging percentage (.695), and on-base plus slugging (1.185), posting the highest marks in those three categories for any major league hitter with at least 195 plate appearances in a season since Barry Bonds in the 2004 season.

2009: Yankees Last World Series Appearance

The 2024 World Series was the first World Series for the Yankees since 2009.

2012: Comparison to Bryce Harper

In a game, Juan Soto became the first teenager to homer in a major-league game since teammate Bryce Harper did it at age 19 in 2012.

July 2015: Signed 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: Signed with the Nationals

In 2015, Juan Soto signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent.

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.

July 2017: Ranked as Nationals' second-best prospect

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

September 2017: Second Rehab stint with GCL Nationals

In September 2017, Juan Soto had a second rehabilitation stint of four games with the GCL Nationals 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, 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: The "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: MLB debut

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

2018: Teenage MLB Records and Rookie of the Year runner-up

In 2018, Juan Soto slashed .292/.406/.517 with 79 walks, 22 home runs, and 70 RBIs in 494 plate appearances and was the youngest player in the NL. He was named the NL Rookie of the Month in June, July, and September, and set many MLB teenage records during the season, including the most walks by a teenager (79), most multi-homer games by a teenager (3), highest OBP by a teenager (.406), and highest OPS by a teenager (.923). He finished second in voting for NL Rookie of the Year.

2018: Call-up to major leagues

In 2018, Juan Soto started the season with Hagerstown and was later promoted to the Potomac Nationals and then to the Harrisburg Senators before being called up to the major leagues on May 20.

August 19, 2019: 100 Extra-Base Hits Before 21st Birthday

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: Gold Glove Award Finalist

After the 2019 season, Juan Soto was a finalist for a Gold Glove Award as a left fielder.

2019: World Series championship

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

2019: World Series Win and Babe Ruth Award

In 2019, the Nationals won the World Series. Soto batted .333/.438/.741 with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs in the World Series and was named the co-winner (with Stephen Strasburg) of the 2019 Babe Ruth Award. He was also named to the All-MLB Second Team.

2019: Response to the "Soto Shuffle"

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

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 a shortened 2020 season.

2020: Home Run Distribution in 2020

At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Juan 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: National League batting title

In 2020, Juan 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: Walk-off single

On April 6, 2021, 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 Record

Since July 2021, no baseball player had hit a home run for 8 straight hits, until Soto broke the record.

2021: Outstanding Season Stats and Comparisons to Ted Williams

In 2021, Juan Soto batted .313/.465/.534 with 29 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 111 runs scored. Soto joined Ted Williams as the only players in MLB history to have led the major leagues in on-base percentage multiple times by age 22. He also reinforced his reputation as the most disciplined hitter in baseball by swinging at an MLB-low 15.1% of pitches outside the strike zone and had the best walk/strikeout ratio in the majors, at 1.56.

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 Soto a 13-year, $350 million contract extension which he declined.

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 Padres

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

2022: Gift for Jersey Number

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

2022: Padres season and NLCS appearance

After being traded to the Padres, for the remainder of the 2022 season Juan Soto played 51 games with the team. He reached the 2022 NLCS with the Padres, hitting two home runs in the series as they lost in five games to the Philadelphia Phillies.

2022: Traded to the Padres

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

2022: Rejection of Contract Extension

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

2022: 2022 Season Performance

In 2022, Juan Soto played a total of 152 games with a .242 batting average, 27 home runs, 62 RBIs, and led MLB with 135 walks. Soto also topped the major leagues with a 20.3% walk rate and a 1.41 walk/strikeout rate. He also swung at a lower percentage of pitches outside the strike zone (19.9%) than any other major league batter in 2022.

2022: All-Star Game and Home Run Derby Win

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

January 13, 2023: Soto Signs with Padres

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

January 2023: Brother signed with the Nationals

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

December 6, 2023: Soto Traded to Yankees

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

2023: Traded to the Yankees

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

2023: World Baseball Classic Performance

In 2023, Juan Soto played for the Dominican Republic national team in the World Baseball Classic, leading or tying for the team lead in multiple offensive categories.

December 11, 2024: Soto Signs Record-Breaking Contract with Mets

On December 11, 2024, Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the largest contract in professional sports history.

2024: Plate Discipline Stats

At the conclusion of the 2024 season, Soto is known for his exceptional plate discipline, ranking 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: 2024 Season Performance

In 2024, Juan Soto finished the season batting .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs, and was second in MLB in walks with 129.

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

In 2024, Juan Soto was named AL Player of the Week for the second time following a week of excellent performance, and he was also selected as a starting outfielder for the American League in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.

2024: Signed with the Mets

In 2024, after becoming a free agent for the first time in his career, Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets in the offseason, the largest contract in professional sports history.

2024: American League Championship Series and World Series Appearance

On October 19, 2024, Juan Soto hit a three-run homer in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, propelling the Yankees to the World Series. Soto finished the 2024 postseason batting .327/.469/1.102 with 4 homers and 9 RBIs in 14 games.

2024: Free Agency Plans

Prior to the 2021-22 MLB lockout, Juan Soto declined a 13-year contract extension and said that he and his agent, Scott Boras, wanted to wait until he became a free agent after the 2024 season to sign a contract.

2024: Soto Agrees to Contract with Yankees

Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Juan Soto and the Yankees avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a one-year contract worth $31 million.

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 off of Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown, securing a 3–1 victory for the Mets.

2025: 2025 Season Performance and Silver Slugger Award

In 2025, Juan Soto finished the season batting .263/.396/.525 with a career-high 43 home runs and 105 RBI. He led the National League in OBP and stolen bases and won his sixth career Silver Slugger award, becoming the second player in MLB history after Mike Hampton to win one three consecutive years with three different teams.

2025: Gift for Jersey Number

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: Joins the 30-30 Club

On September 9, 2025, Juan Soto joined the 30–30 club after stealing his 30th base of the season. 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.

2029: Contract Opt-Out Clause

If the club declines the option between 2030 and 2039, Juan Soto's contract allows him to opt out after the 2029 season.

2030: Contract Club Option Year

Between 2030–2039, Juan Soto's contract with the New York Mets contains a club option that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year.

2034: Contract Length if Accepted

Prior to the 2021–22 MLB lockout, the Nationals offered Soto a 13-year, $350 million contract extension which would've signed the then 23-year-old Soto through his age 35 season in 2034, but he declined.

2039: Contract Club Option Year