Juan Soto DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New York Mets superstar outfielder Juan Soto will be in the lineup for the team's Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against a Houston Astros split-squad team, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. In addition to Soto, shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Pete Alonso are expected to play. The 26-year-old Soto signed with the Mets on a 15-year, $765 million deal in free agency after helping lead the New York Yankees to the World Series last fall. He hit .288/.419/.569 with a career-high 41 home runs in 157 games for the Yankees last year and will come off the board in the first round of most fantasy drafts this spring. In addition to his 41 home runs in 2024, the four-time All-Star led the league in runs (128) and drove in 109 runs and stole seven bases. Soto is still only 26 years old and is easily one of the best all-around hitters in the game.

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is leaning towards putting shortstop Francisco Lindor at the top of the batting order and recently acquired outfielder Juan Soto in the two-hole. Lindor spent most of the 2025 campaign batting in the top spot and performed very well. When batting first, Lindor posted a stellar .303/.374/.552 line with 26 home runs and 31 doubles. He held a 42:97 BB:K ratio. He generated a .379 xwOBA, placing him in the 95th percentile among qualified hitters. Juan Soto spent his entire 2024 season batting in the two-hole with the Yankees. He posted a .288/.419/.569 line with a career-best 41 home runs. He showed an elite eye at the plate with an 18.1 percent walk rate. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo to bat behind them, providing them with elite RBI opportunities.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Mets have signed free-agent outfielder Juan Soto to a massive 15-year contract worth $765 million. This is the largest deal in professional sports history and will likely keep Soto as a New York Met for the remainder of his professional career. Last season with the New York Yankees, Soto posted a stellar .285/.419/.569 slash line with 41 home runs. He boasted a .462 xwOBA, 19.7% barrel rate, and .646 xSLG, which were among the highest marks in the sport. Throughout his seven-year MLB career, Soto carries a .285/.421/.532 line. Given his incredible hitting skills, he should be viewed as a consensus first-round selection next season and a top pick in points leagues given his incredible eye at the plate.