MLB Expert Anticipates Record-Shattering Extension For Juan Soto This Season

Add $500 million to the Padres' payroll !

It seems like as the 2023 season opener gets close, more and more people are starting to believe that Juan Soto will receive his new extension from the San Diego Padres.

Maybe it is his success at the plate in Spring Training or maybe it's how he's connected with the city and their fans these past few months. It wasn't too long ago that the general stigma around Soto was that he arrived in San Diego last season and failed to meet expectations.

However, it's a fresh, new year and teammates love having the 24-year-old slugger around. The Athletic's Jim Bowden is the latest insider to predict that the Friars will lock down Soto for a long time and took it a step further with the amount he believes he'll sign for.

Jim Bowden predicts that Juan Soto will sign a 16-year contract extension with the Padres and that the Padres will win the World Series this year 👇🏽 https://t.co/MDSd19uapp

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) March 27, 2023

"

Juan Soto

, who rejected a 15-year, $440 million offer from the

Nationals

before he was dealt to the

Padres

at last year’s trade deadline, agrees to a 16-year contract extension with San Diego, becoming the first half-a-billion-dollar player in

MLB

history."

(Via Jim Bowden)

A 16-year contract extension would not only make Soto the highest-paid player on the Padres but also in the MLB as a whole. Shohei Ohtani would probably take that title from him not soon after if he hits free agency but it would still be quite the accomplishment.

There is no denying Soto's talent and his accomplishments in the league thus far. in just the second year of his career, he helped win the Washington Nationals a World Series Title. He also has won multiple Silver Slugger awards, been named to All-Star teams, and established himself among the best two-way players in the league.

53 seconds of Juan Soto having a good eye pic.twitter.com/wDQMGm7EMi

— Baseball (@mlbelites_) March 26, 2023

When he became available on the trade market last season, he garnered a ton of interest from contenders all over but it was the Padres that came out on top. Virtually all of their top pitching prospects had to go in return but they now have one of the most talented rosters in all of baseball.

Do I love that Soto will possibly be taking up the most money out of all the friars? No, but I also would much rather they keep him than trade him again or let him walk. He is still so young and I believe he has even more potential to unlock. Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. could become one of the greatest outfield duos of all time and it's important they ensure they stick together.