Washington Nationals: A Potential Price Set For A Juan Soto Extension
By Max Rayman
A light has been shined on what Juan Soto’s agent Scott Boras is looking for in a contract extension.
Over the last few seasons, the new wave of MLB superstars has started to sign long-term extensions early on. Today, the Rays followed suit, signing Wander Franco to a 12-year extension worth $223 million.
BREAKING NEWS: Wander Franco signed a 12 year / $223 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Rays.@z101digital @ZDeportes
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) November 23, 2021
Only 19, Franco follows in the footstep of Fernando Tatis Jr. (14 years, $340 million), Ronald Acuña Jr. (eight years, $100 million), and Ozzie Albies (seven years, $35 million) in buying out their arbitration years and signing way before free-agency.
While Rays fans are ecstatic that their team finally opened up their checkbooks and locked up Franco long-term, Nationals fans are left feeling bitter. Juan Soto is only 23 and has already emerged as one of the best hitters in the league.
Yet, he has yet to sign an extension and the clock is ticking. Soto won’t sign a team-friendly contract like Acuña and Albies did and bearing unforeseen circumstances will sign for significantly more than Tatis.
In fact, in all likelihood, a Soto extension will leave him as the highest-paid player in baseball. Héctor Gómez who broke the Franco extension, reported earlier today what Scott Boras is looki
Juan Soto's father revealed @elnuevodiariord that Scott Boras expressed his claim to seek $ 500 million for his son's sign. https://t.co/LvKXYPa6CZ
— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) November 23, 2021
Boras’s comments just solidify what the rest of the industry was already expecting.
For the first time in Spotrac history, our market valuation tool calculated a player to earn more than $500M on his next contract.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 24, 2021
22-year-old #Nationals OF Juan Soto currently projects to a 15 year, $503M extension.https://t.co/GJHS3ItWsD
Yes, $500 million is an insane amount of money for anyone, but at the rate Soto is going, he will be well worth it.
This past season, Soto hit .313, with 29 homers, 95 RBIs, and an OPS of .999. Impressive numbers that were fueled by his insane second half. After the All-Star break, he slashed.348/.525/.639, while adding 18 homers, and 53 RBIs. Known for his advanced plate discipline, he drew 145 walks while only striking out 93 times.
Soto finished this season second in NL MVP voting and was named to the All-MLB outfield first team for the second straight year.
In today’s age, most MLB players don’t reach free agency until they are in their late 20s to early 30s. For Soto, he will be 26 once his rookie contract ends, right in the middle of his prime. A player of Soto’s caliber doesn’t grow on trees and now that the front office has an idea of Boras’s asking price, they can plan accordingly.