A week ago, when Juan Soto finally took the field in front of the Flushing faithful during the 2025 home opener, he ran down a fly ball by Toronto Blue Jays slugger Anthony Santander that seemed destined to go over the fence and leave the yard for a two-run shot.
Soto had considerable ground to cover as the ball tailed toward the corner. But then it lost speed just as Soto picked up his. He ran to the wall, reached up, flipped his arm around and made the catch with just enough time to brace himself for a collision in the corner.
Allow him to reintroduce himself.
While Soto is no stranger to New York, it’s his bat that endeared him to Yankee fans before he went to another borough in free agency, not his glove. But Soto has made no secret of his desire to improve his defense, and he saw signs of improvement as recently as spring training.
“I truly believe that there’s a really good defender in Juan Soto,” Mets outfield coordinator Antoan Richardson recently told the Daily News. “My hope is that we help him accomplish his goals as it pertains to being an elite defender. I’m very confident that we will find a way to get it done.”
Since Soto arrived in the big leagues as a teenager, his defense has been average at best. Since 2018, he has consistently ranked among the bottom of the league’s right fielders with -16 OAA, and -24 combining all of his innings at both corners.
This isn’t exactly breaking news. One of the best hitters in baseball with insane on-base abilities and power to go with it, Soto’s defense has never measured up to his offense. It was exposed during the World Series last fall and when he was named a finalist for a Gold Glove Award, it called into question the voting process.
However, Richardson wants to use those same attributes that make Soto such a successful hitter to help him become a stronger outfielder.
“I think the tools are there,” Richardson said. “I would say it’s bringing them all together. I think we see what type of hitter he is, how dynamic he is, and the focus and intent [at the plate]. And I think he has the ability to do those same things defensively.”
It’s too early to measure any real change, but things are trending in a positive direction for Soto in right field. He already possesses first-step quickness and natural speed. The Mets want him to make better decisions and take better routes.
“We just have to build on his strengths,” Richardson said. “We’re trying to help him with better direction out of those first steps, and then his finishing skills.”
He took the spot of Starling Marte in right field, who has historically been an elite defender when healthy. But injuries have cost him over the last few years, and as recently as 2023, Marte became a liability in the outfield with a groin injury still causing him significant pain while running. Now, Marte is a DH while Soto mans right field, but the Mets can still use Marte in right or left to spell Soto or Brandon Nimmo.
Soto also has two skilled center fielders playing next to him in Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor, who split time at the spot. Taylor is an excellent defender and maybe a bit more cerebral, while Siri makes wild plays and wild circus-like catches. He can rely on them when something goes more toward the middle.
With Soto signed for 15 years, he can take his time working. At only 26 years old, it’s not unrealistic to think that he is capable of improving.
“I think he’s played pretty well out there,” said president of baseball operations David Stearns. “I think he’s made some catches that have surprised some people, and so I gave him a ton of credit for that. He’s worked really well with Antoine. He wants the information. He wants to know how he’s doing, and I would expect him to just continue to incrementally get better.”
Most importantly, Soto has the desire. He made progress last year with the Yankees, going from -6 defensive runs saved to +1 in right field.
It’s a process, but it’s one all involved are eager to work through.
“He’s the one who’s committed to it, he’s the one who’s talked about it, and that just makes it easier to help him,” Richardson said. “I’m excited about the journey that we’re going to go on. I have all the confidence in the world. He’s going to put the work in, and with that, my hope is that we continue to improve, and then we have a conversation at the end of the year and see where that lands.”
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