The rare combination driving Juan Sotos free agency to unseen heights
SAN ANTONIO — Juan Soto turned 26 on the day of World Series Game 1 and of the 20 starting players for both teams that Friday night the only two younger were Anthony Volpe, who was a rookie in 2023, and Austin Wells, who was a rookie this year.Soto’s age is mentioned quite often as part of the portfolio that promises to take him toward contract records in free agency.A position player this good, this young does not get out into the market that often and if you are waiting for it to happen again, well, grab a seat because it is going to be a while.What is rare is valuable and Soto has the 17th-best Baseball Reference Wins Above Replacement through their age-25 season in MLB history.
There are others who rank better from the free-agent era, but Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Ken Griffey Jr.and Andruw Jones all signed extensions prior to hitting the market.The only player to actually be bid upon in free agency who had a better WAR than Soto in this timeframe was Alex Rodriguez, who after his age-24 season in 2000 signed a record 10-year, $252 million with the Rangers.The class picture is just not crowded for players this good, this young who reach free agency.
Think Barry Bonds, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado.Remember after the 2015 season when so many were baffled why Jason Heyward received an eight-year, $184 million free-agent pact with the Cubs? It was based on that Heyward was a WAR darling, but also because he had just played his age-25 season (as Soto did in 2024 with the Yankees).Teams will stretch to offer longer, more lucrative contracts when they get to buy a bunch of still prime years as part or the deal.Consider that Pete Alonso’s rookie campaign was his age-24 year.
That is more typical and why he is entering free agency through his age-29 season.It is among the reasons why Scott Boras will have a much more difficult time establishing a market of years and dollars for Alonso than Soto, who broke in at age-19.Boras also happens to represent Gunnar Hende...