Juan Soto discloses Red Sox legend as swing inspiration, but it's not David Ortiz
Star outfielder Juan Soto revealed his childhood inspiration that helped him develop his swing. Soto has previously shared that his favorite team was the Boston Red Sox and that he idolized Dominican legends like Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez.
The trio was incredibly popular, especially during their time with the Red Sox, when they helped the team win the World Series in 2004, breaking an 86-year championship drought.
In a recent interview with SNY, Soto was asked about the player he loved watching while growing up and how that influenced his swing.
“Manny Ramirez was one of the guys, I always watch and it was fun to see him swinging and everything. He was one of the guys, I always follow… how smooth his swing was. So I think that's one of the things,” Soto said.
(from 4:47 mark onwards)
The Boston Red Sox, who have a history of acquiring baseball players from the Dominican Republic, reportedly tried to land Juan Soto as well. According to MassLive’s Sean McAdam, the team offered Soto a 15-year, $700 million contract.
However, the 26-year-old ultimately chose to sign with the New York Mets, inking a 15-year, $765 million deal in December 2024.
Juan Soto reveals secret to elite plate discipline since MLB debut
During the interview, Soto also spoke about his exceptional plate discipline. Since making his MLB debut with the Washington Nationals in 2018, Soto has demonstrated an impressive ability to identify balls and strikes.
Discussing how he developed his skills, Soto said:
“Working every year, working every year, every day. I'm coming to the cage. I start working on my eyes. And from nothing, you got it work like if you want to do it you have to work on it. And I think since I was a young guy coming up through the minor league system. I was a free swinger.
“I was swinging at everything it was trying to pull the ball in play. So my coaches told me to start taking pitches, start swinging more strikes and little by little. We were getting better than that and this is how we get all the way up here," he added.
(from 4:05 mark onwards)
Soto’s discipline at the plate is reflected in his stats. In 157 games last year with the New York Yankees, he hit 41 home runs, drove in 109 RBIs and drew 129 walks, all while posting a stellar .419 on-base percentage.