Inside The Mets

New York Mets' coach outlines Juan Soto's impact on team so far

Juan Soto's impact on the Mets thus far has amazed hitting coach Eric Chavez.

Logan VanDine

Feb 24, 2025; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Feb 24, 2025; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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With Opening Day a week away, the much-anticipated debut of Juan Soto in a New York Mets uniform in a regular-season game is drawing ever so close.

Soto, who signed a record-setting 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets this offseason, has already made his presence felt, slugging four home runs in spring training. As Soto and the Mets head into the 2025 season with sky-high expectations, hitting coach Eric Chavez certainly feels the impact the 26-year-old has made on the ballclub.

Chavez spoke exclusively with Dan Martin of the New York Post and raved about Soto's early impact on the Mets, admitting that seeing his talent from afar was already "fantastic." But now seeing him up close and being his new hitting coach, Chavez also admitted there's a different perspective of seeing Soto show off his offensive prowess.

Read More: Insider reveals Juan Soto's impact on Mets clubhouse

Chavez's early impressions of Soto this spring also have him comparing Soto's plate discipline and approach to Barry Bonds, who he called "close to a perfect hitter", with Soto "right there on his heels." The Mets' hitting coach also told Martin that Soto's instant impact on the Amazins' has been so noticeable that he can influence any of the players in the Mets' lineup with his at-bats.

Since making his big league debut with the Washington Nationals during the 2018 season, Soto has batted .285/.421/.532 with 201 home runs and 592 RBI throughout his seven-year career. He is also coming off a career year in his lone season with the New York Yankees, as he slugged a career-best 41 home runs and 109 RBI in 157 regular season games. Soto also guided the Yankees to their first World Series in 15 years, where they ultimately fell in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Soto will now look to build off the career year he had with the Yankees in 2024, and judging by the impressions he's left on Chavez, the outfielder may do just that.

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Logan VanDine
LOGAN VANDINE

Logan VanDine is a contributing writer for On SI's Mets. Logan is a graduate of Rider University where he majored in Sports Media and minored in Sports Studies. During his time at Rider, Logan worked for Rider's radio station, 107.7 The Bronc as a sports host, producer and broadcaster, and for the school's paper: The Rider News. He began his time with The Rider News as a section writer for sports and was a copy editor for two years followed by being one of the sports editors during his senior year. Logan also placed third in the New Jersey Press Foundation Awards for sports feature writing. Aside from his work at On SI, he is also a writer for FanSided covering the New York Giants and Mets and also covers the Giants for Total Apex Sports. Give him a follow on X: @VandineLogan

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