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Juan Soto is seen as one of the most dynamic young players to break into the league since 2018. Soto, who was born and raised by a big baseball-crazed family in the Dominican Republic, came out of the gates swinging.
He signed as an international free agent with the Washington Nationals in 2018. In his first season in the MLB, he hit 22 home runs and 70 RBIs for the Nats. Soto finished third in the Rookie of the Year Award voting on account of his performances that season.
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"Here we go! The 2022 All-star game is underway at Dodger stadium. Ahead of tonight's game, I caught up with @Nationals Juan Soto, AKA the 2022 HR derby champ!!" - @ Olivia Garvey
After the departure of Bryce Harper from the Nationals, fans thought that Soto could take over the place as a franchise player. However, his tenure in DC did not last very long.
In August 2022, Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres along with Josh Bell by the Washington Nationals for a host of prospects. The move reflected the rebuilding approach that the Nats were taking, while the Padres were pushing for a playoff berth.
Soto finished with 27 home runs and 62 RBIs between the Nats and Padres last season. He also showed a great eye for such a young hitter, leading the MLB with 135 walks on the season. His season with the Padres ended when they lost in the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies.
"Juan Soto celebrating with his father (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo" - @ Post Sports
Central to Soto's success in the MLB has been his father, Juan Sr.
Juan Sr. is a Dominican salesman who played as a catcher in a Dominican local men's league. From a very early age, he pushed his son towards baseball excellence, spending hours on deserted pitched fielding ground balls.
Apart from the obvious success that Juan Jr. has enjoyed, Juan Sr.'s second son, Elian Soto, is due to sign a contract with the Nationals once he becomes eligible this year.
The seeds of Juan Soto's success, like many players, was planted young
There is no doubt that the Sotos are a massive baseball family. Although Juan Sr. was virtually obsessed with baseball, he never made it to the MLB.
He will now be able to watch two of his sons play in the league, which will be a sign that all his hard work has paid off.
