Juan Soto eyes Winter League stint after historic Mets deal: Report

There may be no player with more pressure heading into 2025 than Juan Soto. The ultra-talented outfielder set a new MLB record by signing a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets, ushering in a new era of baseball in Queens.

The 26-year-old, who is coming off an excellent season with the New York Yankees, will take his talent across the city in the hopes of winning it all.

It may come as no surprise that the New York Mets are going to want to protect their superstar investment as best as they can to maximize his impact. That being said, it appears that Juan Soto is looking to bring his skills to a Dominican stadium sooner rather than later.

According to MLB insider Andy Martino, even though Soto will not be participating in Winter League baseball this offseason, it is something that he is reportedly hoping to take part in in the future.

The four-time All-Star has expressed his interest in playing for the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League in the near future, with the star potentially doing so as soon as next offseason.

The New York Mets superstar, who has been enjoying his offseason in his home country, was on hand for a matchup between the Tigres del Licey and Aguilas Cibaenas. Not only was Soto in attendance for the game but he also threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Winter League matchup.

This is not the first time that Juan Soto has expressed his interest in playing for the Tigres del Licey and it seemingly won't be the last either. Back when Soto was a member of the San Diego Padres, Soto was going lace up for the team, however, it never came to fruition. Once Soto finally finds himself in the lineup, it is going to be one of the biggest games in league history.

Juan Soto will look to keep building upon his tremendous 2024 campaign

Even though Soto will have all eyes on him heading into the 2025 campaign, there is a reason why he is considered one of the best in baseball. Last offseason, Soto faced considerable pressure after being dealt to the New York Yankees, however, it did not appear to faze him in the slightest.

Despite the tremendous pressure of playing in front of the tough New York Yankees fans and amid the bright light of the Big Apple, Juan Soto put together one of the best seasons of his career. The outfielder finished third in AL MVP voting thanks to his .281 batting average with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs.

If he can perform near that level in 2025, the New York Mets could be dangerous.