Juan Soto being a perfectionist 'rubs off' on everyone else, claims MLB insider days after his debut with Mets
There may be no player with more pressure to succeed this upcoming season than Juan Soto. The ultra-talented outfielder made the record-setting jump from the New York Yankees to the New York Mets this offseason after signing a 15-year, $765 million deal with his new club.
There are multiple reasons behind Juan Soto's success in Major League Baseball. While the talent has undoubtedly been with him throughout his baseball career, the 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic has put in a considerable amount of work to maximize the tools he was blessed with.
MLB insider Tim Kurkjian provided a behind-the-scenes look at how Juan Soto has made an impact on his new teammates.
Kurkjian spoke on the latest episode of Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney, stating how Soto's determination to be great has rubbed off on his new teammates and even those with the Yankees.
"He showed everyone on the Yankees, this is what a professional at-bat looks like every single time he stepped into the box. Everyone knows who good of a hitter he is but when he is with you every single day, you recognize the preparation and the focus," Tim Kurkjian said of Soto's approach to the game every day.
It will be interesting to see how the New York Mets and their stars will perform with Juan Soto in the lineup. The team already has some superstars, such as Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. However, neither player has hit next to a star of Soto's caliber before.
"He never gives, let alone an at-bat away, he nevers gives a pitch away and that rubs off on everyone else. Again, the Yankees were a demonstratively better offensive team last year because of Soto's number but also because of the influence he had on everyone else," Kurkjian continued.
Juan Soto named the 2024 Juan Marichal Award winnner for best Dominican player
Juan Soto and the New York Mets may have their sights set on winning the team's first World Series title since 1986, but the superstar outfielder has already earned himself some hardware. Soto was named the 2024 Juan Marichal Award winner, which is given to the top Dominican-born player in Major League Baseball.
This may have come as no surprise, given the success Soto enjoyed last season. En route to being named an AL MVP Finalist, Soto posted a .288 batting average with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs. It will be interesting to see if he can match or even improve upon those numbers this season with the Mets.