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JUAN Soto signed the biggest sport contract ever in December 2024 — a historic 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets.
Here’s everything we know the record-breaking batter’s parents Juan Soto Sr and Belkis Pacheco.
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Who is Juan Soto?
Juan José Soto Pacheco was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on October 25, 1998.
During his career so far, the baseball pro has played 936 regular-season games, scored 201 home runs, registered 592 runs batted in (RBIs) and has a 0.285 batting average.
He previously played for the Washington Nationals (2018-2022), San Diego Padres (2022-2023) and New York Yankees (2023-2024).
Career highlights
Juan is a four-time MLB All-Star (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and has won five Silver Slugger Awards.
He was a crucial member of the Washington Nationals’ 2019 World Series championship team.
In 2020, he won the National League batting title with an impressive 0.351 average.
In the 2024 season, Juan hit a career-high 41 home runs for the Yankees and drove in 109 RBIs.
He was an MVP finalist and finished third in the American League MVP voting.
All of this led to a great amount of interest from rivals, with the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and LA Dodgers all battling to sign him.
But on December 9, 2024, Juan agreed to join the New York Mets.
Reports claim the 26-year-old has signed a 15-year deal worth a whopping $765million.
Juan has already established himself as one of the most dynamic young players in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Meet his dad Juan José Soto Sr
Juan José Soto Sr is a former salesman who played as a catcher in a local Dominican men’s league.
He was instrumental in nurturing his son’s passion for baseball from a young age.
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Soto Sr spent hours practicing with and developing his son’s talent, fielding ground balls and honing his all-round skills.
He also introduced an ingenious training method — throwing bottle caps for Juan to hit, helping to hone the player’s exceptional batting skills.
Soto Sr’s influence extended beyond physical training, he encouraged his boy to “play from the heart,” drawing a baseball within a heart to reinforce this message, per EssentiallySports.
Meet his mom Belkis Pacheco
Juan’s mother Belkis Pacheco has also been a strong and supportive presence in her son’s life and career.
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While less is known about her personal life, she has been described as the family’s anchor, ensuring that her son remained grounded despite his rising fame.
Belkis has attended Juan’s MLB games across the world.
Juan has credited his mother’s cooking as one of the reasons he performs so well on the field.
During the 2019 World Series, which the Washington Nationals won, he mentioned how his mom’s food played a crucial role in his success.
Asked which of his mother’s dishes is his favorite, Juan told Marty Caswell in a YouTube interview: “It’s got to be the pastelon de platano maduro and the pork ribs… that’s the best things she makes for me.”
