Padres News: Juan Soto Among NL Finalists for Prestigious Award

Juan Soto's encore season in San Diego proved quite successful on an individual level after he came over via trade in 2022. 

The 2023 season saw some new career highs in multiple offensive categories and the Dominican slugger is now on the ballot for one of the league's highest honors — the Hank Aaron Award.

Soto managed to stay healthy for all 162 games in his career and the results turned into arguably the best offensive season of his young career. 

The 24-year-old drew more walks than anybody in baseball and his total of 132 led to another season with an OBP over .400, the sixth time in his seven seasons. 

Soto also mashed a career-high 35 home runs and nearly notched a career-best in RBI, falling just one shy of his joint highest mark of 110 set back in 2019. 

Already a World Series champion, multi-time All-Star, Home Run Derby champion and MVP runner-up in his young career, there isn't much more for the young superstar to accomplish in baseball. 

Breaking records for his insane offensive production so early into his career, Soto now turns his attention to breaking records off of the field. 

Rumors already suggest that Soto's arbitration contract next season will be the highest figure ever seen in baseball history, but beyond that his future remains unclear. 

Reports indicate that the Padres want to slash payroll after a disappointing 2023 campaign for the organization. 

Soto's contract expires next offseason and San Diego could end up trading the mercurial talent should the two sides be unable to reach a market-breaking contract. 

GM AJ Preller already sacrificed significant prospects in C.J. Abrams and Mackenzie Gore among others just to bring Soto onto his expensive roster. 

However, Padres ownership hasn't seen the desired results from consistent buying of veteran talents and Soto's price for significant prospect capital may get the team back on track at his expense.