The 2023 WBC Star player’s movie resume Vol.35: Juan Soto (San Diego Padres): Major Candidate for Team Dominican Republic: “Dominican mischievous slugger!”

Today's player's resume concerns the San Diego Padres slugger Juan Soto. He will play for Team Dominican Republic in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The KAISPO baseball analyst commented,
"Soto is a cheerful Dominican slugger who can hit long balls and maintain a high batting average and OBP. In August 2022, he moved to the Padres from the Nationals. Although he struggled a bit in the last half of the season, his ability has been proven. I look forward to his hitting in 2023."

Juan Soto signed the Washington Nationals as a seventeen-year-old free agent to a minor league contract in July 2015. After his tremendous hitting performance in the minor league, he made his big league debut at 19 years, 207 days on May 20th, 2018, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out as a pinch-hitter. He became the first player born in 1998 to appear in an MLB game. He, however, hit a three-run homer facing the San Diego Padres the next day, becoming the youngest player to hit a home run in franchise history. Soto excellently finished his rookie year of 2018 with .292/.406/.517, 22 long balls, and 70 RBIs through 116 contests.

In 2019, the young outfielder slashed .282/.401/.548 with 34 home runs and 110 RBIs without a sophomore slump, sending the Nationals to the playoffs. He also smashed three homers in the postseason to help his team win its first World Series title. In 2020, the shortened season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the right-handed hitter led the National League in batting average with .351. On April 12th, 2022, he reached the 100th homer to become the seventh player to do so at 23 years old or younger. That year Soto also appeared in his 500 major, becoming the second player to hit 100 homers and 500 hits with 400 walks within 500 games, following Ted Willams.

Soto moved to the San Diego Padres for one of the biggest trades in professional sports after rejecting a 15-year, $440 million contract offer from the Nats on August 2nd, 2022.

The 24-year-old notable player has marked .287/.424/526 with 125 long balls and 374 RBIs across 617 contests at the end of the 2022 season, having already acquired numerous titles such as three-time Silver Slugger, Babe Ruth Award, two-time All-Star, Home Run Derby Winner, two-time All=MLB First Team, batting champion, two-time OBP leader and so on.
(MLB No.302 KAISPO No.1483)