MLB Analyst Predicts Juan Soto’s Next Contract Won’t Mirror Shohei Ohtani’s $700 Million Deal
As the MLB offseason heats up, all eyes are on Juan Soto, one of the game’s brightest young stars, and the future of his contract negotiations. While much of the baseball world has been focused on Shohei Ohtani’s unprecedented $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, one MLB analyst is offering a compelling perspective: Soto’s next contract won’t resemble the mega-deal that Ohtani signed — and his agent, Scott Boras, has no plans to break the bank in the same way.
Shohei Ohtani’s recent $700 million deal with the Dodgers shook the baseball world and set a new standard for what’s possible in terms of player contracts. Ohtani, who is both a dominant hitter and a pitcher — a rare combination in modern baseball — is expected to revolutionize the sport’s economics. His deal dwarfs any previous contracts in MLB history, with some analysts predicting it could lead to even more astronomical offers for future stars.
However, despite the game-changing nature of Ohtani’s contract, MLB analyst and former executive, *David Samson*, has emphasized that Ohtani’s deal is more of an anomaly than a blueprint for future player negotiations. Specifically, when it comes to Juan Soto, who is also set to land a massive contract but in a very different position as a position player only, it’s unlikely that his deal will mirror Ohtani’s.
Scott Boras, the legendary super-agent behind Juan Soto’s current representation, is known for maximizing the value of his clients, but there are clear distinctions in how he will approach Soto’s contract compared to Ohtani’s. According to Samson, who has deep insights into MLB business dynamics, “Scott Boras isn’t going to do a deal like Shohei Ohtani’s.”
Boras, whose previous clients have included some of the most highly paid athletes in MLB history, understands the economics of the game and the different factors that influence contract negotiations. While Ohtani’s unprecedented two-way talent allowed him to command an offer that combines pitching and hitting worth over $700 million, Soto’s value lies primarily in his hitting ability — although it’s elite, it’s not in the same realm as Ohtani’s dual-threat capabilities.
Juan Soto, just 25 years old, is already one of the most feared hitters in Major League Baseball. A career .291 hitter with an exceptional eye at the plate, including a .425 OBP and power that has already earned him a World Series ring with the Washington Nationals, Soto is viewed as one of the cornerstones of baseball’s future. However, unlike Ohtani, Soto does not have the ability to pitch, which ultimately limits his value in the way Ohtani’s hybrid skill set expands it.
Soto’s next contract is expected to be massive in its own right, likely surpassing the $400 million mark, but it will be based purely on his offensive prowess. Analysts believe the lack of a dual-threat skill set means that his deal won’t approach the $700 million ceiling set by Ohtani. While Soto is expected to secure a record-breaking contract for a hitter — potentially one of the largest in baseball history — his deal will be structured around the market for position players, not pitchers.
Though Soto won’t reach Ohtani’s financial heights, his contract will still likely be a historic one. As one of the youngest players in history to achieve a .400 on-base percentage and with an impressive track record that includes multiple Silver Sluggers and MVP votes, Soto is considered an invaluable asset for any team looking to contend for years to come.
Boras is known for leveraging his clients’ skillsets to extract the maximum value in free-agent deals, and Soto’s situation will be no different. Given Soto’s age and track record, a long-term deal worth $500 million or more remains a strong possibility, with some projections suggesting Soto could even surpass the $500 million mark in total contract value, but most likely not to the extreme levels of Ohtani’s contract.
It’s worth noting that Soto’s marketability — his personality, media appeal, and star power — will also factor into negotiations. However, the absence of a dual-threat skill set in the same manner as Ohtani will prevent Soto’s final numbers from reaching the once-unimaginable levels that the two-way sensation earned from the Dodgers.
As Soto prepares to enter his next contract negotiations, all eyes are on how he and Boras will navigate the landscape following Ohtani’s landmark deal. Teams are certainly salivating at the prospect of adding Soto to their lineup for the long haul, and the bidding war for his services is expected to drive up his price tag, but as Samson pointed out, the comparison to Ohtani simply isn’t fair.
“Juan Soto is not Shohei Ohtani,” Samson remarked. “It’s not going to be a $700 million deal. But it’s still going to be a monster deal — one of the biggest in history for a hitter.”
As the MLB offseason continues to unfold, the next few months will likely bring clarity regarding Soto’s next destination and the terms of his future contract. Whether he stays with the San Diego Padres or moves to a new contender, one thing is certain: Soto’s next contract will be a historic one — just not on the same scale as Ohtani’s record-breaking $700 million deal.
While the baseball world is still reeling from Shohei Ohtani’s record-setting deal, Juan Soto’s future is equally exciting. Boras will undoubtedly push for a contract that matches Soto’s elite status as one of the best hitters in the game, but it’s unlikely that he will push for the same extraordinary figures that Ohtani was able to secure, given the differences in their skillsets. Soto’s deal will still be one of the largest in MLB history, but the landscape of MLB contracts — shaped by Ohtani’s unprecedented success — is likely to move in different directions for each player.
In the end, Soto’s new contract, while different, will still likely mark the start of an exciting new chapter in his already-illustrious career. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see where he lands and how much history he makes in the process.
