The Washington Nationals happen to have an all-time great on their roster.
This player is just 23 years old: yes, even at such a young age, Soto has managed to perform at a historic pace.
He is a fantastic player with considerable power, excellent contact skills, and even underrated baserunning and defensive skills.
However, the one tool that makes him a truly outstanding offensive player is his patience, translated into walks.
“Most games with 3+ walks before turning 24 (since at least 1901): Juan Soto: 29, Ted Williams: 29, Eddie Mathews: 18. Just casually tying TED WILLIAMS,” MLB analyst Sarah Langs tweeted.
Most games with 3+ walks before turning 24 (since at least 1901):
Juan Soto: 29
Ted Williams: 29
Eddie Mathews: 18Just casually tying TED WILLIAMS
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 24, 2022
The Best Plate Discipline In The League
Soto has an incredible eye at the plate: nobody in the league can match his elite plate discipline.
This year, he has walked in 20.2 percent of his plate appearances, a slight increase over his 18.9 percent career mark.
As you can see, it’s not just this year: Soto has reached base at a high rate for all his career.
Of course, his walk rate has been on the spotlight this year because it’s evident that opposing pitchers are afraid to attack him on the strike zone, and tend not to do it considering the fact they can just focus on retiring the rest of the Nats’ lousy lineup.
However, he walked at a very high 16 percent clip in 2019, the year in which Washington won the World Series and had Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Ryan Zimmerman, Yan Gomes, and Howie Kendrick in their lineup, among others.
When his name is being mentioned in the same sentence as Ted Williams, one of the best hitters the game has ever seen, it means he is doing some amazing things at the plate.
NEXT: Juan Soto Cannot Be Effective In The Nationals Lineup