"May your heart never change Leonardo" - Juan Soto pens heartfelt message after the $765,000,000 Mets superstar made the kid's dream a reality

Juan Soto's new $765 million signing status won't make a dent in his humility as he knows what it's like to come from a humble background in the Dominican Republic, where several aspiring kids are hoping to become the next Albert Pujols, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani. Among them is Leonardo from Santo Domingo, DR, who aims to become a superstar baseball player in the future.

On Wednesday, Soto visited Tigres del Licey's home park Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There, he met Leonardo. Dressed in Licey colors and beaming with excitement, Leonardo got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet his hero. Soto not only shared his time but also gifted Leonardo a jersey.

The duo went on to meet several players of the Tigres Del Licey, who plays in the Dominican Professional Baseball League. Soto shared the experience on his Instagram story on Wednesday. Along with several photos, Soto also penned a touching note for Leonardo.

"May your heart never change, Leonardo. Your courage, joy, and dreams inspire us all. Keep believing, and know that your determination will take you far," he wrote (translated to English).

Soto's Instagram story

Leonardo lives with his brother in a modest zinc house with a roofless bathroom. Every time it rains, fear grips Leonardo and his family as their fragile home struggles to withstand it. Yet, Leonardo’s spirit remains unbroken.

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Juan Soto hopes to benefit the youth of DR with his record 15-year, $765 million contract

At the introductory press conference for the official signing of Juan Soto with the Mets in December 2024, the outfielder highlighted the impact that he aims to bring back to his home in the Dominican Republic.

Soto shared what it takes to become a baseball star in the Dominican Republic and said he would put the money earned from his contract to good use for his community, especially the youth.

“The first thing that came to my mind, I gotta try to help a lot of people,” Soto said in Dec. at his introductory press conference. “Back in New York, there’s a lot of kids that have talent, and they can have a bright future but they don’t have the support.

"I feel like when you sign a contract like that, that’s the first thing it brings in mind — to help the community, and try to help everybody around my country, and try to create more chances [and] more opportunities for the people to grow and keep moving forward.”

Juan Soto joins several players in MLB from the Dominican Republic who hope to do good for their community. Expect more and more to come from Soto and his philanthropic efforts as he goes along the length of his contract in Queens.