Mets' Juan Soto asserts former teammate is MLB's best player

New York Mets slugger Juan Soto's response when asked who MLB's best player is turned heads.

Feb 19, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) takes batting practice during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New York Mets slugger Juan Soto has played alongside some of MLB's biggest superstars since entering the league in 2018.

Among these are two-time MVP winners Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge, MVP runner-up Manny Machado, and Cy Young award winner Gerrit Cole, just to name a few. And of course, he's now in the same lineup as Francisco Lindor, who is arguably the best shortstop in all of baseball right now.

However, during his March 9 appearance on the Abriendo Podcast, Soto revealed that none of these players are who he believes is the best in all of Major League Baseball.

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“Fernando Tatis Jr. is the best player in the game for me; he can do it all in the field," Soto said, via an X post that was translated from Spanish to English by MLB insider Héctor Gómez. "You can see player that do everything at least average or better but he does everything elite.

"[Tatis Jr.] has won the Platinum Glove, can hit 40 home runs in San Diego, hits .300, runs, knows how to play the game and how to move on both sides of the ball and has a cannon of an arm. What else can you ask a player to do that he doesn’t do already?" Soto added.

There's no question that Tatis Jr. is one of the most talented and entertaining players to watch in all baseball. However, given his lack of MVP pedigree, it's interesting to hear Soto — who played with Tatis Jr. on the San Diego Padres during the 2022 and 2023 seasons — offer him the highest praise.

FERNANDO. TATIS. JR. 🤩 #NLDS pic.twitter.com/DbwB6Q0TPJ

— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024

Perhaps Soto's sentiment will switch after a season or two playing alongside Lindor. Regardless, if other players across the league were asked this same question, some would surely say Soto.