Juan Soto: Baseball’s Young Savant
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Juan Soto has been lighting up the Baseball World since he made his Major League debut in 2018. The Washington Nationals outfielder is still just 21 years old, but he’s already one of the best hitters in the game.
Soto has a rare combination of power and patience at the plate, and he’s also a gifted defender. He’s a big reason why the Nationals are one of the best teams in baseball.
If you’re a fan of baseball, or just
Juan Soto Who is he?
Juan Soto is a professional baseball player who plays outfield for the Washington Nationals He made his MLB debut in 2018, at the age of 19, and was named to the National League All-Star team that same year. He is known for his exceptional hitting ability, and has been referred to as a “savant” by some in the baseball community.
Soto was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and moved to the United States when he was five years old. He grew up in Maryland and attended High School there before being drafted by the Nationals in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft Soto has quickly become one of the best young players in baseball, and is already one of the most popular players on the Nationals roster.
How did he become a baseball savant?
In 2016, at the age of 19, Juan Soto made his Major League Baseball debut with the Washington Nationals He immediately became one of the youngest players in the league, and he also quickly established himself as one of the most talented hitters in baseball. In just his second season, Soto won the National League batting title with a .428 average. He also led the league in on-base percentage and Slugging percentage and he was named MVP of the All-Star game
So how did this young man become such a baseball savant?
Part of it may be genetics. Soto’s father was a professional baseball player in the Dominican Republic so he grew up around the game. But Soto also credits his success to his hard work and dedication to understanding all aspects of hitting.
For example, Soto studies video of pitchers very closely before he even steps into the batter’s box. He looks for any little tell that might give him a clue as to what type of pitch is coming next. This gives him a big advantage when it comes time to swing the bat.
Soto is also extremely patient at the plate. He rarely swings at bad pitches, instead waiting for something he can drive into the gap or over the fence. This approach has led to a lot of walks (and a lot of hits) for Soto.
So if you’re looking for someone to model your own hitting approach after, Juan Soto is definitely worth watching closely. With any luck, we’ll be seeing more great things from him in the years to come!
His impact on baseball
Juan Soto is one of baseball’s young savants. The 20-year-old outfielder has already made a significant impact on the game, earning rave reviews from fans and analysts alike.
Soto was born in the Dominican Republic and signed with the Washington Nationals as a 16-year-old international free agent in 2015. He made his Major League debut in 2018, and immediately made an impact, hitting .292/.406/.517 with 22 home runs and 70 RBI in 131 games. He followed that up with an even better 2019 campaign, hitting .282/.401/.548 with 34 home runs and 110 RBI in 149 games.
Soto is already one of the best hitters in baseball, and he is only getting better. He has a great eye at the plate, making him difficult to pitch to. His power is increasing as he matures, and he should be a 30+ home run hitter for years to come. He also plays good defense in left field making him a well-rounded player.
There is no doubt that Juan Soto is one of the brightest young stars in baseball, and he is poised to become one of the best players in the game for years to come.
Why is he so good?
Juan Soto has quickly become one of baseball’s best young players In just two years, he’s become an All-Star, a Silver Slugger, and a World Series champion. So, why is he so good?
There are a few factors that help explain Juan Soto’s success. First, he has a remarkable ability to make contact with the ball. In 2019, his contact rate (the percentage of times he made contact with the ball when swinging) was 86.7%. That was the fourth-highest rate among all Major League hitters with at least 400 plate appearances.
Second, Juan Soto has an excellent eye for the strike zone He walked in 16.1% of his plate appearances in 2019, which was the seventh-highest rate in the majors. This means that he’s able to work deep into counts and see a lot of pitches, which gives him a better chance of getting on base.
Lastly, Juan Soto is extremely patient at the plate. He saw an average of 4 pitches per plate appearance in 2019, which was tied for the fifth-highest rate in the majors. This patience allows him to wait for his pitch and do damage when he gets it.
So far in his young career, Juan Soto has been one of baseball’s best hitters. And there’s no reason to think that he won’t be able to keep it up for years to come.
His stats
In his three seasons with the Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto has established himself as one of the best young hitters in baseball. At just 22 years old, he’s already won a World Series and been named an All-Star twice.
Soto’s career batting average is .301, and he’s hit 79 home runs He’s also drawn 175 walks, giving him a .406 on-base percentage those are impressive numbers for any player, let alone one so young.
His potential
Soto has already accomplished a great deal in his young career, but there is still a sense that he has yet to reach his full potential. That is an incredibly exciting proposition for baseball fans as it suggests that we have yet to see the best of what Juan Soto has to offer.
His comparisons to other greats
Juan Soto’s name has been tossed around quite a bit in his young career. He’s been compared to some of the game’s legends, past and present. At just 21 years old, Soto has already shown he has the potential to be one of baseball’s all-time greats.
Soto was born in the Dominican Republic in 1998. He grew up idolizing Vladimir Guerrero who played for the Montreal Expos before Soto was born. When Guerrero retired in 2011, Soto was just 13 years old. But that didn’t stop him from following in his footsteps.
In 2015, Soto signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent He made his Major League debut in 2018, at the age of 19. In 2019, he helped lead the Nationals to their first World Series title in franchise history.
Soto is often compared to another Dominican-born slugger: David Ortiz Ortiz is one of the most popular players in Red Sox history, and is considered one of the greatest designated hitters of all time. Like Ortiz, Soto is a left-handed hitter with power. And like Ortiz, Soto has a flair for the dramatic.
In 2020, Soto was again compared to another legend: Mickey Mantle Mantle is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. He was a five-time World Series champion with the New York Yankees and was named the American League MVP three times. Like Mantle, Soto is a left-handed hitter with power and speed. And like Mantle, Soto wears No. 7 on his jersey.
It’s too early to say if Juan Soto will go down as one of baseball’s all-time greats — but he’s certainly off to a good start.
His awards
So far in his young career, Soto has received many awards. He was the Rookie of the Year in 2018, is a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and has also been named to two All-Star teams.
His future
Looking forward, it is clear that Juan Soto has a very bright future ahead of him. He has already shown himself to be a precocious talent, and there is no reason to believe that he will not continue to improve as he matures. His combination of power, hitting ability, and plate discipline is rare, and it should serve him well as he moves through the ranks of professional baseball It will be interesting to see how he develops over the next few years, and there is no doubt that he has the potential to be one of the very best players in the game.
Your thoughts on Juan Soto
What are your thoughts on Juan Soto? The young outfielder has quickly become one of the best players in baseball and some have even called him a “savant.”
Do you think he has what it takes to be a top player in the league for years to come? Or do you think his success is due more to circumstance and luck?
Sound off below and let us know what you think!