There aren’t enough positive words to characterize San Diego Padres pitcher Juan Soto’s poise at the plate.
You can describe it as impeccable, remarkable, noteworthy, or jaw-dropping, and it fits.
The player, who has 98 walks to just 95 strikeouts this season, is still under 25 years old.
He already has a great record, and he keeps widening the distance between himself and the opposition, which in this instance includes some of the greatest players to ever play the game.
The players who walked the most times in Major League Baseball before turning 25 were Juan Soto (606; 725 games), Mel Ott (541; 983 games), Mickey Mantle (522; 808 games), Ted Williams (493; 586 games), and Eddie Yost (491; 708 games). Juan Soto won’t turn 25 until October 25, according to Codify Baseball.
Most MLB walks before their 25th birthday:
Juan Soto, 606 (725 games)
Mel Ott, 541 (983 games)
Mickey Mantle, 522 (808 games)
Ted Williams, 493 (586 games)
Eddie Yost, 491 (708 games)Juan Soto won’t turn 25 until October 25. pic.twitter.com/pvRekBj0c8
Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 2, 2023
The best part is that, since he will turn 25 during the playoffs, he will have the rest of the 2023 regular season to keep adding to his total.
Identifying balls from strikes is a crucial component of hitting—possibly the most crucial—and Soto is the best in MLB at it.
It may seem simple to use good pitches to your advantage and to avoid bad ones, but doing so is very challenging.
Pitchers frequently toss curveballs that buckle knees at 100 mph, as well as filthy sliders and excellent changeups.
One of the most difficult things to perform in professional sports is to hit.
Soto makes it seem simple.
Not just his eye, but also being a dangerous hitter will prevent pitchers from arbitrarily choosing to test you with pitches in the zone.
It’s talent plus the esteem of throwers.
Naturally, Soto possesses both.
He is batting an outstanding.275/.424/.520 this season, with 22 home runs and a.944 OPS.
He will probably play a major role in the Padres’ chances of making the playoffs.
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MLB Insider Highlights The Padres’ Lack Of Clutch Play In 2023