Juan Soto was one of the best players in the postseason, further solidifying his status among the top MLB free agents this winter. While MLB rumors make it pretty clear the New York Yankees are the favorites to re-sign Soto, his asking price could change that.
Soto is one of the best MLB free agents to hit the open market in several years. Only 26 years old, he is a four-time All-Star selection, a World Series champion and a perennial MVP candidate. He also proved that he can come through in October, leading the Yankees lineup to the World Series.
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- Juan Soto stats (ESPN): .288/.419/.569, .989 OPS, 41 home runs, 109 RBI, 31 doubles
Soto is also determined to become one of the highest paid MLB players ever. The 26-year-old’s playing style bodes well for his longevity, with unmatched plate discipline and bat speed that should age very well. It’s one of the many reasons why he’s expected to land a contract for at least 12-plus years this offseason.
Throughout the regular season, there were persistent MLB rumors about how much Soto would need to sign a deal. Early estimates started at $500-plus million, but his MVP-caliber production and his role in the Yankees’ postseason success pushed that even higher. Now, projections are well past $600 million and it will likely cost a team far more than that.
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- Juan Soto postseason stats: .327/.469/.633, 1.101 OPS, 4 home runs, 9 RBI, 14 walks
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Soto is seeking a contract value of $700-plus million total over the lifetime of a deal. If it happens, he will join Shohei Ohtani as the only two players in MLB history to sign $700-plus million contracts.
However, unlike the Ohtani contract, Soto reportedly isn’t seeking heavy deferrals in his long-term agreement. While the Ohtani contract has 93 percent of the money deferred until after his contract ends, Soto wants his money spread out over the full duration of his contract.
Considering Soto isn’t nearly as marketable as Ohtani, nor does he offer the ability to be a two-way player, it seems unlikely he’ll reach the $700 million asking price unless it’s over 15-plus seasons. However, with more than a dozen teams pursuing him, clearing $650 million is doable.