WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – An outfielder wearing a red Nationals No. 22 Soto jersey warmed up in right field at CACTI Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. In the opposing Mets clubhouse, Juan Soto was getting ready for the game.
Wait, what?
The Soto brothers – 26-year-old Mets star Juan and 19-year-old Nationals Minor Leaguer Elian – played in the same Major League Spring Training game for the first time on Thursday night.
"It's pretty cool to see him and hear about different thoughts, what people think about his swing and all that kind of stuff,” Juan Soto said. “It was cool to see.”
Juan made the trip with the Mets from Port St. Lucie for the road game as he builds up to consecutive nine-inning games. Elian was a Minor League callup for the exhibition game.
“I’ve been looking forward to this moment since I was a kid,” Elian Soto said. “And I hope I can do that again.”
Following Juan’s seven-year tenure with the Nationals’ organization, which ended in a 2022 blockbuster trade to the Padres, Elian signed with Washington as an international free agent in ‘23. Juan and his family accompanied Elian for the official signing.
A little less than two years later, Juan inked a 15-year, $765 million free-agent contract with the Mets, putting him not only in the same division as his little brother but in the same Spring Training region. The Mets’ and Nationals’ complexes are just 50 miles apart, making those teams frequent Grapefruit League opponents.
This spring, the two are living together in a shared home, where they -- naturally -- spend lots of time talking about baseball. Earlier this week, Juan used his off-day to come to the Nationals’ complex and watch Elian work out in the outfield. In the past, he has taken time out of his schedule to see Elian play instructional ball. But it’s relatively rare that he gets to see his brother in competitive games.
“It’s fun, because we get to share thoughts after a long day,” Juan said of living with Elian. “He’s a big kid. He wants to learn all the time about the game and how things are going to go. And he’s learning about the organization.
“I’ve been trying to talk to him. I know the organization has changed a lot. Now, it’s a different feeling, a different vibe over there. But I’m just really happy for him.”
When Elian was told on Wednesday he would be a callup for Thursday’s game, the eagerness kicked in. He found a solution to overcome it – going to bed early at 9:30 p.m.
“I was like, ‘I’ve got to go to sleep because I need the day to go by as quick as it can,’” Elian said with a laugh.
Juan played five innings Thursday, then watched the rest from the top of the Mets’ dugout steps, keeping one eye on the game while signing autographs for fans. Elian, who played in the Florida Complex League last season, subbed into left field in the ninth inning for his first Spring Training appearance of his career. The lefty-hitting Elian struck out swinging in a full count against right-hander Tyler Zuber.
After the game, the Sotos met on the field for a quick embrace.
“[I will remember] going to left field, running there and feeling what probably my brother felt when he went to his first game,” Elian said, adding, “Watching him from the same field, playing in the same field is something we talk about in the offseason and when we’re alone at home. We talk about that a lot and work for it.”
Thursday is not the first time the brothers have faced off, either.
Juan stepped to the “mound” at Nationals Winterfest in January of 2020. He wound up and delivered an oversized ball to Elian that was met with his signature Soto Shuffle. A few pitches later, Elian went oppo off Juan, slowly rounding the bases of the makeshift field to savor his sibling victory. He capped off his celebration with Juan’s double finger point to the skies.
If the brothers have things their way, they’ll see each other plenty in the future. Although Elian has yet to make his full-season debut, Juan is under contract with the Mets for 15 seasons. It’s well within the realm of possibility that the brothers will one day play against each other in a game with real stakes.
“I can’t wait to see it,” Juan said. “We’ve been grinding a lot, putting in a lot of work. I worked with him this offseason. After he came in and hit .180 in rookie ball, it was a tough offseason, so we worked a lot. He really worked and busted his ass off every day, day in and day out. So I’m really happy to see him, what he’s going to do this season.”