Juan Soto signs largest contract in professional sports history with New York Mets: ESPN sources

NEW YORK -- Superstar outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Mets are successful statement connected a 15-year, $765 cardinal contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan, the largest woody successful nonrecreational sports history.

The woody includes nary deferred money, sources said, and has escalators that tin scope supra $800 million.

Soto rejected a one-year, $21.05 cardinal qualifying connection by the New York Yankees connected Nov. 19.

The 2 astir sought-after escaped agents this period person been Alex Rodríguez, a 25-year-old elite shortstop successful 2000, and Shohei Ohtani, a boundary-breaking two-way instrumentality past winter. Soto, contempt being a below-average country outfielder, is 3rd connected the list: Organizations decided his hitting prowess astatine his property is that valuable.

The 2024 play was 1 of Soto's best. He slashed .288/.419/.569 for the Yankees, smacking a career-high 41 location runs and scoring a career-high 128 runs. He finished 2nd successful the majors successful on-base percent to teammate Aaron Judge, 4th successful slugging, 3rd successful OPS, 3rd successful wRC+, and 4th successful fWAR.

Soto turned 26 connected Oct. 25, the time of Game 1 of the World Series. He's already a four-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger, a batting champion, a Home Run Derby champion, and a World Series champion. His .421 vocation on-base percent is tops successful shot since helium debuted with the Washington Nationals successful 2018. His .532 slugging percent is seventh. His .953 OPS and his 158 wRC+ are fourth. His 201 location runs are ninth.

His 769 vocation walks are the astir ever for a subordinate done his age-25 play -- 99 much than Mickey Mantle, who is 2nd connected the list. He has been a metronome since breaking into the majors arsenic a teenager, stitching unneurotic elite play aft elite season.

Soto concluded the 2024 play by going 5-for-16 successful the World Series with a location tally and 7 walks successful the five-game nonaccomplishment to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was, from commencement to finish, worthy the concern the Yankees made past December erstwhile they sent 5 players to the San Diego Padres for him and chap outfielder Trent Grisham earlier paying him $31 million.

ESPN's Jorge Castllo contributed to this report.