Meet baseball star Juan Soto’s adorable parents: the outfielder is up for an eye-watering US$765 million contract with the New York Mets, but his dad is still an affirmed Yankees fan
Juan Soto grew up around baseball in the Dominican Republic, and his super-supportive mum and dad still attend as many games as they can – even sparking comparisons to Travis Kelce’s parents
Star outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Mets agreed Sunday to a record a US$765 million, 15-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told Associated Press. The deal could escalate to US$805 million and is believed to be the largest contract in team sports history.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement is subject to a successful physical.
While there are no definitive records in sports beyond the United States, Soto’s deal is thought to eclipse those in all other team sports. The deal, spurning the New York Yankees’ attempt to retain the star who helped them reach the World Series, was reached on the eve of the first full day of baseball’s annual winter meetings.
Soto would have the right to opt out of the contract after the 2029 season if the Mets don’t, at that time, increase the average value by US$4 million annually. He will also get a US$75 million signing bonus, payable upon the deal’s approval by the commissioner’s office.
He may be a big player in the league now, but what do we know about the people who raised him? Here’s everything to know about Juan Soto’s family.
Who are Juan Soto’s parents?
Juan José Soto Pacheco, aka Juan Soto, was born on October 25, 1998, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to parents Juan Soto Sr and Belkis Pacheco. Both are working parents: his mother is an accountant and his father is a salesman. Soto Sr played baseball as a catcher in the local men’s league in Santo Domingo and naturally instilled the love of the sport in the younger Juan, per MLB.com.
The father-son duo have bonded over the game since Soto was as young as six months old. They started playing together using a bottle as a makeshift bat and its cap as the ball. “He got tired, but I never got tired as a kid,” Soto said in a 2019 interview with MLB.com. “That’s how everything started.”