Is Juan Soto one of the greatest to be ever played in MLB and is he ahead of Barry Bonds? The question was often raised and this time, the legend himself answered. With Soto going all guns blazing currently, fans often compare him with the hitting abilities of Bonds and yes, Soto’s numbers are also on his side. While Soto already has years left to play, the numbers he possesses now are comparable to the legends.

“Soto, you ain’t got a chance on me,” said Bonds when asked about his comparison with Soto. That sounds confident on Bonds’ part and left the fans wondering about how Soto is ahead of Bonds and vice versa. Honestly, Soto is just 26, and this is not the right time to compare him with a bonafide legend like Barry Bonds, but numbers can still be compared based on age-26 seasons. How is Soto then ahead of Bonds or vice versa? Can Soto be termed as the greatest hitter of all time in the coming years?

Bonds or Soto: Who’s leading?

Among the current roster, Juan Soto is leading the chart without any doubt, but when it comes to comparison with Bonds, numbers are different. How? Since Soto made his debut in 2018, he is #29 in terms of BR, #1 in OBP, #5 in SP, #4 in OPS, WPS and WPS+. That’s quite a formidable number Soto is maintaining and proving his leadership position among his peers. Now compared with Barry Bonds, Soto is standing at an all-time third position just behind Bonds and Rickey Henderson in terms of walks.

Comparison between Soto and Bonds based on age 25 (2024 being his 24th year) however, offer a different visual. Soto is currently at #17 in terms of all-time WAR till age 25 and legends like Bonds and Ted Williams are trailing behind him. This proves that even though Soto is not in the position to challenge the lifetime numbers of Bonds, he is all in the right way. As of now, Soto has been on base 1,719 times, which places him as the all-time fourth-best in MLB history, well above Bonds. 

The World Series ring is always considered the foremost achievement for a player, and here Soto is ahead of Bonds as well. While Soto already got a World Series ring in 2019, Bonds haven’t got one in his career. Well, not having a World Series title will belittle Bonds’ legendary status, but it is just that Soto went ahead here. So, where is Bonds still ahead of Soto? Throughout age 26, Bonds is ahead of Soto in terms of WAR and PA and Bonds is a 2x MVP, while Soto is yet to get one. 

A long way to go for Soto

The above numbers justify the confidence shown by Bonds in his discussion on the MLB channel Foul Territory.

While there is no doubt that Soto is going full throttle and achieved some formidable numbers for his age, it is too soon to place him ahead of Bonds. There might be opinions about how Joto broke the record of contract, but Bonds also got the then-record $43.75 million in 1993. Hence, Soto is going on a similar path as Bonds and expectedly he can overshoot him in the coming few years. 

Soto has more years to play and he might be considered as a bonafide legend by then. However, for now, he got his job half-done and needs to prove more in the coming years. Juan Soto just got the right start one can ask for and if he can continue this form in the long run, then it’s not Bonds but records of many other legends will be at stake. With his current numbers, Soto is already ahead of a few yesteryear legends and fans can hope for more such records getting broken in the coming days. 

Barry Bonds is and will be a legend despite his HOF snub and going ahead of him will make Soto one of the greatest to be played ever in MLB. 

What do you think about Bonds and Soto’s comparison? Share your thoughts below.