The average of 13 experts surveyed by The Washington Post projects Yankees slugging superstar Juan Soto will sign a record-breaking contract worth $520.09 million.
Expert projections (from agents not affiliated with Boras Corp., Soto’s agent) range from $426.5 million for the “(Mike) Trout contract” to $600 million.
Here are the predictions (some include years):
- $540 million to $550 million
- 2014, $550 million
- 10 years, 550 million
- 12 years, $600 million
- 10 years, $500 million
- 12 years, $480 million
- 2013, $520 million
- $450 million to $500 million
- $500 million to $550 million
- Over $550 million
- $500 million
- “Trout’s contract (12 years, $426.5 million)”
- “At its current value, it’s certainly more than Shohei Ohtani’s $437.4 million.”
- “Lots of cake”
*Estimates are averages within ranges, and figures such as “more than (Otani)” or “a lot of cake” are not estimated.
Besides being the greatest hitter of all time, Soto’s other big advantage is that he’s 25 years old, meaning he has four or five more years of his prime ahead of him than the average free agent star.
Ohtani’s $700 million contract ($680 million is deferred) still makes sense, as does Aaron Judge’s $360 million deal, but those superstars were around 30 years old when they signed their deals.
At 25, Alex Rodriguez doubled the largest contract in North American sports in 2000 ($252 million to Kevin Garnett’s $126 million).
Another deal to consider is the $325 million contract (plus $50.6 million posting fee) that the Dodgers signed with fellow 25-year-old Japanese player Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Soto himself turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract from his former team, the Nationals.
Several agents have suggested they think the Yankees might want to cap Soto’s salary at Judge’s $40 million, but Soto will be 4 1/2 years younger when he hits free agency, and I’m not sure the winning-obsessed Judge would mind being the Yankees’ second-highest paid player (at least, I don’t think so).
Beyond the $550 million-plus projections, one agent added: “If the Yankees and Mets get into a spat, the possibilities are endless.”
