"We thought we were in very good position and placement on Juan Soto" - Mike Radcliff of Minnesota Twins makes bold claim, says the team had a verbal deal
Juan Soto, a Minnesota Twin? That's what the Minnesota Twins vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff boldly told Cory Provus on Minnesota's radio show on Sunday.
"We actually had a verbalized deal that, unfortunately, didn't come to fruition, and another team beat us out," Radcliff said. "It's one of the great players in our game right now: Juan Soto."
The Minnesota official shared this thought on the day that he was inducted into the Killewbrew Root Beer Professional Scouts Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida. Radcliff became the 16th member of the Scouts Hall of Fame after the ceremony.
"You want to try to get them before the actual signing day occurs, because it can be rather chaotic, and we thought we were in very good position and placement on Juan Soto," Radcliff said. "That's a tough one to swallow, obviously."
Radcliff is one of the premier figures in the scouting department of the Minnesota Twins. He served as the team's scouting director from 1993 to 2007. Not only did he sign the likes of stars like Joe Mauer, but he is also known for his knack of signing international talent like Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, and Miguel Sano. And some near-misses, as well, in the form of Miguel Cabrera, and the latest addition to the list, Juan Soto.
Another proud day for Mike Radcliff. Mike helped sign Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, and Miguel Sano - all part of the 2009 international class. twitter.com/Twins/status/1…
"Any time anybody wants to take the time to recognize a scout, I’m all about that. So it’s very cool."
How could Juan Soto have impacted the Minnesota Twins?
Juan Soto was signed by the Washington Nationals as an international free agent in 2015 for a $1.5 million signing bonus. He has made quite a name for himself in his short career. He's collected a World Series title in 2019, 2-time All-MLB First Team, an All-MLB Second Team selection, 2-time Silver Slugger awardee, an all-star selection, and a National League batting title all in just three years of Major League play.
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In this fantasy situation, however, Soto was selected and signed with the Twins. He could've formed an electric trio in the outfield, alongside Byron Buxton and Alex Kirilloff. The Twins wouldn't need to rebuild constantly as they would have the cornerstone of the franchise. The franchise could've broken it's 18-game playoff losing streak that dates back to 2004 when it started off against the New York Yankees. It's a bunch of what-ifs for a franchise still looking to establish its feet in the American League Central.