Over the weekend, the Washington Nationals called up top prospect Juan Soto to help their outfield, which has been thinned by injuries. They're currently without Adam Eaton (hip), Brian Goodwin (wrist), and Howie Kendrick (Achilles).
And, in his first MLB start Monday night (GameTracker), Soto clubbed his first big league home run. It was a left-on-left opposite field shot against San Diego Padres southpaw Robbie Erlin too. Check it out:
Soto did not homer in his first big league at-bat -- he struck out as a pinch-hitter Sunday -- but he did homer on the first pitch he saw in his first at-bat of his first start, so that's cool.
At 19 years and 208 days old, Soto is the youngest player to hit a home run in an MLB game since Jurickson Profar of the Texas Rangers back in 2012. Here are the last five players to go deep at Soto's age (or younger):
- Jurickson Profar, Rangers: 19 years and 195 days (September 2, 2012)
- Adrian Beltre, Dodgers: 19 years and 171 days (September 25, 1998)
- Andruw Jones, Braves: 19 years and 134 days (September 4, 1996)
- Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners: 19 years and 195 days (June 4, 1989)
- Robin Yount, Brewers: 19 years and 208 days (April 12, 1975)
It should be noted Beltre (7), Jones (4), Griffey (9), and Yount (4) all hit multiple big league home runs before they were Soto's age. Point is, it is not often a player this year goes deep in a big league game.
MLB.com ranks Soto as the 15th best prospect in baseball, saying he has the "makings of a middle-of-the-order hitter and a potential batting champion."
