Juan Soto names NL rival "best player" in the league and it's not Shohei Ohtani

All-Star outfielder Juan Soto has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball since his MLB debut and is regarded as one of the best players in the league.

Juan Soto has rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the major leagues, such as Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani, among others. However, when naming the best player in the MLB, the four-time All-Star made a surprising pick.

Soto picked his compatriot and San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. as the best player in the league in a conversation with Abriendo Sports.

“Fernando Tatis Jr is the best player in the game for me, he can do it all in the field," Soto said. "You can see players that do everything at least average or better, but he does everything elite.

"He has won the platinum glove, can hit 40 home runs in San Diego, hits .300, runs, knows how to play the game and how to move on both sides of the ball and has a cannon of an arm. What else can you ask a player to do that he doesn’t do already?"

Fernando Tatis Jr. is a fan-favorite in San Diego and shared a special bond with Soto during the latter's stint with the Padres. The two-time All-Star's best MLB season was in 2021 when he crushed a career-best 42 home runs and finished third in the NL MVP voting.

Juan Soto wasted no time in getting familiar with Mets clubhouse

After a career year with the Yankees in 2024, Juan Soto grabbed the headlines by signing a $765 million deal with cross-town rivals the New York Mets in the offseason.

Although the Dominican superstar is expected to hit the ground running instantly, his teammate David Peterson feels Soto has bonded with his new teammates quickly.

"It feels like he's been here a while; it doesn’t feel like his first three weeks," lefty David Peterson said. “It's personality. He's tried to get to know all the guys and tried to do everything to get himself acclimated. He’s been awesome to have around in the clubhouse.”

In his latest Spring Training game against the Cardinals on Monday, Juan Soto drove in two runs over two hits with a solo home run in an 8-0 win.