Juan Soto reveals true feelings on Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado's leadership

Juan Soto's status as one of the best MLB hitters has been on the rise since his World Series-winning campaign with the Washington Nationals in 2019, his second year in the big league.

However, he wasn't the biggest star on the Nationals team as two-time MVP Bryce Harper led the lines for Washington before his record move to the Philadelphia Phillies.

His move to the San Diego Padres also saw him rubbing his shoulder with an established star like Manny Machado. But, one of the biggest names to have shared the clubhouse with Soto is New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge after the former's move to the Bronx ahead of the 2024 season.

When Soto was asked about his learnings from the three superstars in his first appearance as a Met at Spring Training on Sunday, the four-time All-Star said (19:00 onwards):

"I know a lot, I can't even tell how many things those guys have been teaching me. It was leadership, how to be a leader in a clubhouse in your own way. We have Harper, Machado and Judge, they lead the clubhouse in different ways, but they are always the leaders. They teach me how to do it in my own way, and not only that but through the game, in the field, how you handle yourself in and off the field.

"It was so many things that those guys were able to teach me and show me how to handle myself, and I couldn't be more thankful for those guys. First of all, we got to put those guys through my career to help me learn and improve my game and improve myself as a person too."

Juan Soto happy with the Mets lineup heading into 2025 season

The New York Mets signed Juan Soto for a record-breaking $765 million deal, highlighting their aspirations for the future. The Mets also reunited with All-Star slugger Pete Alonso earlier this month after his lengthy free agency to strengthen the hitting lineup ahead of the 2025 season.

Although the Mets have one of the strongest lineups in the MLB after a busy offseason, Soto believes it's worth nothing if they cannot match it with their performances.

"I think it's a pretty good lineup that we have. We have a lot of good hitters, balance in the lineup," Soto explained in Port St. Lucie. "There's teams out there that have a really good lineup, too... It doesn't matter on paper if you have the best team. You've got to go out there and play. That's the biggest thing. We have to show the world we have a really good lineup."

The Mets now have one of the best trios in the game with last season's MVP finalists Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and former Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso.