Already among best in game, Soto still seeks to improve

Our offseason player review series begins today with Juan Soto, who produced historic offensive numbers despite playing in only 47 of the Nationals' 60 games.

PLAYER REVIEW: JUAN SOTO

Age on opening day 2021: 22

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2015

MLB service time: 2 year, 134 days

2020 salary: $629,400 (prorated $233,111)

Contract status: Possibly Super Two arbitration-eligible in 2021, free agent in 2025

2020 stats: 47 G, 196 PA, 154 AB, 39 R, 54 H, 14 2B, 0 3B, 13 HR, 37 RBI, 6 SB, 2 CS, 41 BB, 28 SO, .351 AVG, .490 OBP, .695 SLG, 1.185 OPS, 212 OPS+, -9 DRS, 2.4 fWAR, 2.1 bWAR

Quotable: "You see guys that are streaky, but he's not streaky. He's just good every day. He's not scared of anything. He's not scared of anybody, any situation. He wants to hit, every time." - Trea Turner on Soto

2020 analysis: An unusual season for everyone began in especially unusual fashion for Soto. He was forced to miss the first two weeks of summer training because he was exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling from the Dominican Republic to Washington. Then he tested positive himself on opening day and had to miss the season's first eight games despite never displaying any symptoms and never testing positive again after the initial reading.

You might think all of that would've had a negative impact on Soto's performance. You'd be wrong. He went 2-for-4 with a double in his delayed 2020 debut. And after homering in his third game, his OPS never fell below 1.100 the rest of the season.

Soto proved again he is baseball's most consistent offensive player, with no true weakness in his swing. He hit .346 off righties, .360 off lefties. He hit .382 when behind in the count. He hit .421 with runners in scoring position. He hit .407 when he pulled the ball, .405 when he hit the ball up the middle and .542 when he hit it to the opposite field. He hit .313 off fastballs, .333 off changeups and .447 off curveballs and sliders. Get the idea yet?

If there's one thing to nitpick, it's Soto's defense, which regressed this year. After earning a Gold Glove finalist slot in 2019, he rated among the worst outfielders in the majors this year. Some of that may have had to do with his delayed start and lack of preparation. Some may have been attributable to a sore left elbow that sidelined him for five games in the middle of the season.

Soto's defense didn't cost the Nationals much, though, and his offense more than made up for it. He finished with the first batting title in club history and posted the highest on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS by any major league hitter with at least 195 plate appearances since Barry Bonds in 2004. Did we mention he's still only 21?

2021 outlook: If Soto was able to do all that without a full camp at 21, what will he do with a potentially full and normal season at 22? As always, never doubt his desire to get better and his ability to actually do it.

The Nationals can help put their young star in the best position to succeed by providing him more lineup protection. By the end of this season, with Howie Kendrick on the injured list, opponents began pitching around him, intentionally walking him 11 times in a 15-game stretch in September. Soto admitted after the season finale he now understands what a difference it makes to have a productive hitter behind him. Look for the Nats to try to find that guy this winter.

And don't be surprised if Soto moves to the other side of the outfield permanently next year. He spent the final week playing right field, the position he manned in the minors and the position he claims to prefer. If the Nationals feel like there are better free agent options in left field, they wouldn't hesitate to move Soto to right.

The Nats are fortunate to have Soto under team control through the 2024 season, but his salary is going to begin to skyrocket soon. It's not official yet, but it appears he'll qualify for arbitration this winter as a Super Two player, which means a big raise is in store. And by the time he reaches his fourth arbitration year in 2024, there's no telling how much money he'll be making. The club would love to lock him up right now with a long-term extension, but there's been no indication the Scott Boras client is interested in doing that right now.