By Arianna Smith
Arguably, one of the best players in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2024 season is 26-year-old Juan Soto. Soto was an outfielder for the New York Yankees but has been a free agent since their season ended. Soto has become a prospect to every MLB team, but his requested price is somewhat debatable. Soto has asked for a salary of about $600 million, and teams are meeting with him all over the U.S. to make a deal.
Soto had 41 home runs, 109 runs batted in (RBI), and 166 hits just in the 2024 season.
Nicholas Angeloni, a 21-year-old student at The University of Tampa, is a die-hard Yankee fan. He is the assistant coach of the club baseball team, as well as their treasurer.
“If Soto does not re-sign with the Yankees, myself, along with most Yankees fans, will probably cry themselves to sleep that night,” said Angeloni. “He is a generational player, so losing him would be a huge loss.”
Angeloni believes Soto wouldn’t have gotten to the World Series without Soto being such a great player. He explains that Soto isn’t the average player and that the money he’s asking for is very reasonable.
“He has an amazing eye at the plate and hits for contact and power, something you don’t see very often,” said Angeloni.
Angeloni adds that if the Yankees don’t re-sign Soto, they are still a contender for the World Series in 2025, but it would be more difficult without him.
Bryce Sobieski, a longtime New York resident and student at UTampa, also thinks Soto’s request is accurate.
“Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers was offered a 700 million [dollar] contract, and both players are very similar in worth to their teams,” Sobieski said.
Sobieski explained that Soto is what the Yankees need if you’re looking at the comparison of players on other teams. Sobieski reinstated that Soto was detrimental to the New York Yankees.
“Yankees fans would be furious with the organization if they let him walk,” he said.
“Soto’s asking for too much money, although he’s extremely talented, he hasn’t contributed enough to the MLB like [Aaron] Judge or [Derek] Jeter, who are two committed Yankees that stuck with their team through thick and thin,” said UTampa student Vincent Buccieri.
Buccieri is on UTampa’s club baseball team and a prominent New York Yankees fan. He expressed that when the team collaboratively goes cold, he goes coldest.
“I don’t think a World Series depends on one man. If the team plays to their highest, I feel there’s a good shot at another run,” said Buccieri.
He concluded that Soto is a valuable player but isn’t crucial to a championship.
It’s apparent that each of these University of Tampa students agrees that Soto is a precious player for the New York Yankees. However, fans have mixed feelings about whether or not Soto deserves his $600 million request. Yankee fans want Soto in pinstripes, but if he switches teams, the “Soto Shuffle” will no longer be played.
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Photo courtesy of MLB.com