Despite New York Yankees star Juan Soto being one of the best players in MLB, not everyone is convinced of his value. Soto has significantly boosted the Yanks’ offense and is poised for one of the most lucrative free-agent contracts in MLB history. However, some players remain skeptical.
MLB player calls Juan Soto overrated
In an anonymous player poll conducted by The Athletic. Jazz Chisholm of the Marlins received the most votes, securing 20% in the poll of approximately 100 players
The unnamed player remarked about Juan Soto, “Could be a spite pick, to be honest. I feel like all he does is walk and hit singles, and doesn’t hit for power like he’s portrayed. Also not a good fielder.”
While there might be a kernel of truth in this critique, it largely doesn’t hold up against Juan Soto’s actual performance. This could change, as Juan Soto is set to play as a designated hitter on Monday.
This season alone, Juan Soto has amassed 31 extra-base hits, including 17 home runs, 11 doubles, and three triples, resulting in an impressive .318/.424/.603 stat line. This isn’t an outlier season for him either. Since his debut in 2018, Soto’s 177 home runs rank 13th in the majors. His Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) is 157, the fourth-best in the league, and his 32.3 Fangraphs Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is sixth. Additionally, his career on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .952 ranks fourth in MLB.
Contrary to the claim that he’s merely a singles hitter, Juan Soto’s 494 singles since 2018, while substantial, place him 30th in the majors. His 350 extra-base hits rank 67th among active players. Considering his age, 25, Soto’s accomplishmhttps://pinstripesnation.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=137940&action=editents are exceptional. He is undeniably one of the premier hitters in the game.
Juan Soto’s ability to draw walks is another standout aspect of his game. His walk rate of 18.7% since his rookie season is the highest in baseball, highlighting his discerning eye at the plate.
Fielding has traditionally been a weaker area for Juan Soto. However, his defensive metrics have shown improvement with the Yankees, now rating slightly above average according to Statcast. His throwing arm is also rated favorably. The anonymous player’s critique of Soto’s defense does have some merit, but it’s clear that Soto has been working to address this aspect of his game.
Ultimately, the anonymous player’s comments seem driven by envy, attempting to undermine one of baseball’s brightest stars. Despite the headline-grabbing accusation, Juan Soto’s performance on the field speaks volumes and cements his status as one of the game’s elite players.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
my opinion is that Soto is playing very good for the Yankees. His batting average is the best in the team, he has his share of homeruns, and his defense has been better than I expected.
He is not disappointing Yankee fans.