- PREMIUM
- HOME
- NFL
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
AFC East
AFC North
AFC South
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
- NBA
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
Southeast
Atlantic
Southwest
Northwest
- MLB
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
AL West
AL East
NL West
NL East
- NHL
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
Atlantic
Pacific
- WNBA
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
Eastern
- EPL
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
- MLS
Transactions
Trending Players
Eastern
- ATL Atlanta UnitedAtlanta United FC
- MTL MontrealCF Montreal
- CLT CharlotteCharlotte FC
- CHI FireChicago Fire
- CLB Columbus CrewColumbus Crew
- DC UnitedD.C. United
- CIN CincinnatiFC Cincinnati
- MIA Inter MiamiInter Miami FC
- NSH NashvilleNashville SC
- NE RevolutionNew England Revolution
- NYC New York CityNew York City FC
- RBNY Red BullsNew York Red Bulls
- ORL Orlando CityOrlando City
- PHI UnionPhiladelphia Union
- TOR TorontoToronto FC
Western
- ATX AustinAustin FC
- COL RapidsColorado Rapids
- DAL DallasFC Dallas
- HOU DynamoHouston Dynamo
- LA GalaxyLA Galaxy
- LAFC Los AngelesLos Angeles FC
- MIN MinnesotaMinnesota United FC
- POR TimbersPortland Timbers
- RSL Real Salt LakeReal Salt Lake
- SD San Diego FCSan Diego FC
- SJ EarthquakesSan Jose Earthquakes
- SEA SoundersSeattle Sounders FC
- SKC Kansas CitySporting Kansas City
- STL St. Louis CITYSt. Louis CITY SC
- VAN WhitecapsVancouver Whitecaps FC
- NWSL
Popular Pages
Transactions
Trending Players
- ACFC Angel City FCAngel City FC
- BFC Bay FCBay FC
- CHI Chicago Red StarsChicago Red Stars
- HOU Houston DashHouston Dash
- KC Kansas City CurrentKansas City Current
- NJNY NJ/NY Gotham FCNJ/NY Gotham FC
- NC North Carolina CourageNorth Carolina Courage
- ORL Orlando PrideOrlando Pride
- POR Portland Thorns FCPortland Thorns FC
- LOU Racing Louisville FCRacing Louisville FC
- SD San Diego Wave FCSan Diego Wave FC
- SEA Seattle Reign FCSeattle Reign FC
- UTA Utah Royals FCUtah Royals FC
- WAS Washington SpiritWashington Spirit
- GOLF
Popular Pages
Trending Players
- TENNIS
ATP
WTA
- RACING
NASCAR CUP
FORMULA 1
- PVF
- OLYMPICS
Analyzing & Predicting Juan Soto's Free Agent Contract
As MLB officially flips the switch to offseason-mode, the focus immediately turns to Juan Soto, the most exciting free agent since: well Shohei Ohtani 12 months ago. We’ll take a few moments here to dive into a calculated value & predicted outcome for Soto’s free agent journey over the next few weeks.
Calculated Valuation(s)
Using Spotrac’s market value analysis (which pairs the two-year production prior to the contract of four comparable players against Soto’s last two years of production), we’re given the highest calculated valuation in our history:
14 years, $513,842,854
However, we’ve opted not to use Shohei Ohtani as a variable for this valuation for the simple reason that Soto didn’t get the Padres/Yankees 298 innings on the mound. If we factor in Ohtani’s $70M per year contract to this math, Soto’s value soars to:
14 years, $647,090,402
This is a 26% increase over our initial valuation. Let’s cut that in half to account for the lack of pitching from Soto.
14 years, $580,642,425
Is it enough? The simple answer is no. This is what the math is telling us to report. But there aren't enough comparable players for Juan Soto. He's a rare combination of age (just turned 26) plus multi-tool production. We'll try to poke some holes into this process to get us to a number that fits a little better in this current climate.
A Logical Outcome
It’s never best practice in our opinion to give too much attention to the APY (average per year) metric, especially as it pertains to finding a player’s overall value (term & guarantee generally drive the process), but in a league like MLB that utilizes a luxury tax payroll that derives from the average salary, it’s at least in consideration.
MLB’s Highest Tax Salaries
1. Shohei Ohtani, $46.08M (10 years)
2. Zack Wheeler, $42M (3 years)
3. Aaron Judge, $40M (9 years)
4. Jacob deGrom, $37M (5 years)
5. Gerrit Cole, $36M (9 years)
It’s important to make note of the contract length here, as it’s the dividing factor that gives us the APY. Generally speaking, the top APY contracts in MLB have come from shorter term deals. Judge was able to sneak an extra year out of the Yankees, but if Soto is in consideration for a contract of 13-15 years, we’re talking about an historic combination of length & substance.
MLB’s Longest Active Contracts (APY)
1. Fernando Tatis Jr.: 14 years ($24.2M)
T2. Bryce Harper: 13 years ($25.3M)
T2. Giancarlo Stanton: 13 years ($25M)
T4. Julio Rodriguez: 12 years ($17.4M)
T4. Mike Trout: 12 years ($35.5M)
T4. Mookie Betts: 12 years ($30.4M)
T4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 12 years, ($27M)
Again, we see very little evidence that MLB teams have been willing to go mega-long-term with a mega-APY simultaneously. The obvious comparable here is Mike Trout, who signed his 12 year, $426.5 million extension back in March of 2019. Let’s break that down a bit:
The CBT threshold in 2019 was $206,000,000.
The CBT threshold in 2025 is $241,000,000.
This represents a 17% increase.
If we tack that 17% onto Trout’s $35,541,667 APY, we’re given a $41,584,000 figure. Trout signed for 12 years, so Soto would be looking at a 12 year, $500M contract in this comparison. But it’s largely expected that Soto’s free agent deal will come in at the 14-15 year range.
Will MLB teams be willing to keep this type of historic APY at that length? It only takes one, and on Day 1 of the 2024 offseason, it’s been reported that 11 teams have already reached out with interest in discussing a contract for Soto. That’s almost 40% of the league.
Generally speaking, especially as it pertains to free agency, we’re inclined to dial back a valuation or prediction that can often be “hot-stoved” out of proportion. But that’s just simply not the case here. The mathematical values come in (clearly) low because we simply don’t have enough variables that carry the age & across-the-board production that Soto brings to the table this winter. So in light of this, we’re going to buck our usual trepidation - and predict BIG.
A Final Prediction
Juan Soto is barely 26 years old (October 25th), and he’s already earned $82.3M on the field - without ever signing a multi-year contract. Ohtani’s 10 year contract takes him through his age 38 season, and guarantees him $742.2M of career earnings when it’s all said and done.
For Soto to eclipse this, he’ll need a contract that amounts to $660M in total value. If we align the landing age (38) with Ohtani, this would mean a 13 year contract for Soto, or an APY of $50.7M. A 14-year contract would chime in at $47.1M, running through his age-39 season, while a 15 year deal would mean a nice, clean APY of $44M, making Soto 40-years old at its completion. But we’re going to zag here at the final hour:
Ohtani’s deal exists because of an insane amount of deferred compensation ($680M). Soto and his super agent Scott Boras aren’t expected to agree to something that drastic, but it would be reckless to assume that deferred payments won’t at least be a conversation during this free agent negotiation process. So here’s our final offer, all elements included:
12 years, $660,000,000 ($215M deferred)
CATEGORIES
- NBA 97
- NFL 70
- GOLF 54
- NWSL 44
- MLB 27
- NHL 1
AUTHORS
- Michael Ginnitti NFL, MLB
- Keith Smith NBA
- Scott Allen Contributor
- Taylor Vincent NWSL
8 of the Scariest Active Contracts
Spotrac celebrates the Halloween season with a look at 8 of the scarier active contracts in major professional sports, including two each from the NFL, NBA, MLB, & NHL.
MLB Offseason Trade Candidates
With the MLB offseason now officially here, Spotrac takes a look at players across the league who could be on the trade block in the coming weeks & months.
2025 NWSL Free Agency Thus Far
Taking a look at how the 2025 NWSL free agency signings have gone thus far.
MLB Offseason Primer: AL East
Spotrac's MLB Offseason series continues with a look at notable free agents, projected payroll, & outlooks thoughts for each AL East team.
TRENDING PLAYERS
- 1 Juan Soto (RF, NYY)
- 2 Shohei Ohtani (DH, LAD)
- 3 Freddie Freeman (1B, LAD)
- 4 Gerrit Cole (SP, NYY)
- 5 Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF, MIL)
TRENDING PAGES
- 1 MLB Free Agents
- 2 MLB Cap Tracker
- 3 NFL Free Agents
- 4 NFL Transactions
- 5 New York Yankees Payroll