Truman Bartman, Contributor | 

Juan Soto has been one of baseball’s brightest young stars since he broke into Major League Baseball (MLB) back in 2018 with the Washington Nationals.

Since that time, he has gone on to become a four-time all-star, batting champion, world champion, and one of the best contact hitters the league has ever seen. This would be quite the feat for any player to achieve. What makes Soto so special is that he has accomplished all of these things at just 26 years old. This has made him one of the most high-profile free agents in MLB history.

2024 resume

Soto is coming off of a season where he put up an MVP-worthy campaign in his first season with the New York Yankees. He batted .288 while also nuking 41 home runs and scoring a league-best 128 runs. More importantly, Soto was a driving force in the Yankees getting to the World Series after he hit a three-run bomb in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) to help the Bronx Bombers advance to the fall classic for the first time since 2009.

There’s no denying Soto’s greatness, and one MLB team will be fortunate to obtain his services for the foreseeable future. However, what is still unknown is, who might that team be, and how much are they willing to spend.

Projected deal

Superagent Scott Boras hasn’t set a firm starting price for his client, but rumblings around the baseball world have projected that Soto can earn anywhere from $600 million to $700 million. Just last offseason, the Dodgers signed baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani to a $700 million deal, which should impact the kind of money that Soto and his camp will look to seek out. In terms of length, it is a foregone conclusion that Soto will be offered, at minimum, 10 years and will likely get an opt-out after five.

Top dogs

There are three behemoths who have the best shot at landing Soto, and all three played in the League Championship Series (LCS) this year. Those teams include the World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. Each squad is near the top of the league in payroll and are prepared to spend as much as it takes to claim Soto. The Dodgers are least likely to stay in the hunt for Soto as their payroll is already bursting at the seams.

Having played for the Yankees this past season, many assume that New York has the upper hand. Don’t be surprised however if it’s their crosstown rivals in the Mets who pull him over to Queens.

Sleepers

Usually, when a big free agent hits the market, teams with an average to below-average payroll are reluctant to engage. What makes this year different is Soto is open to meeting with all 32 MLB regardless of their situation. It is still a long shot, but teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, and Detroit Tigers have all shown high interest thus far.

The Toronto Blue Jays have gained a lot of traction recently, with a date to meet with Soto already set. After missing out on Shohei Ohtani, the Jays are likely to come in with a more aggressive mindset towards poaching Soto from their division rival Yankees. Anytime a superstar makes his way across the border, they have the chance to market themselves to an entire country, like Kawhi Leonard did with the Raptors. If Soto does decide to head north, he would have the entire country behind him and has the chance to increase the popularity of the game from coast to coast.

Let the bidding begin

The MLB’s free agency period is already underway, and the anticipation for where Soto will land is picking up by the day. Similar to players like Albert Pujols, Shohei Ohtani, and Aaron Judge during their free agency periods, Soto has the chance to change a franchise’s entire landscape and shake up the MLB for the next decade.

Truman Bartman is a Contributor for The Reflector 2024-2025.