Meet Juan Soto, Nationals’ next great slugging hope who ‘you’d want to marry your daughter’ https://goo.gl/QR7vDV By Jorge Castillo February 7 BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic — Modesto Ulloa usually doesn’t work on Sundays, but he reports to a ballpark if someone he trusts calls insisting there is a player he must see. He doesn’t like to say no. Maybe he’ll find a star. There’s always a chance. So a few years ago the Washington Nationals’ most experienced scout in the Dominican Republic arrived on a Sunday to watch a left-handed pitcher top out at 82 mph over three innings. The performance piqued Ulloa’s interest. He decided to stay for a second game even though he knew the lefty wouldn’t pitch again. 位处多明尼加共和国BOCA CHICA－Modesto Ulloa通常周日不上工， 但如果他信任的某人通知他有个家伙一定得瞧瞧， 他就不会拒绝去球场报到。 总是有机会让他挖到一颗明星。 因此几年前当这位华盛顿国民旗下最有经验的多明尼加球探於周日抵达球场， 观察一位投了三局最快球速82mph的左投时， 这左投的表现激起了Ulloa的兴趣。 他决定为了第二场比赛留下来， 即便他知道这个左投不会再站上投手丘。 At some point during that second game, a hitter smashed a line drive to right- center field, where the center fielder smoothly ran over for the catch — so smoothly Ulloa had to ask those around him for the youngster’s name. It was Juan Soto, the left-handed pitcher from the first game, they told him. He’s a good hitter, too, they said. 第二场比赛中的某个时间点， 一位打者猫出一记飞往中右外野方向的平飞球， 中外野手平稳地跑去接球， 动作滑顺到Ulloa不得不问问周围的人那个中外野手的名字。 他们告诉他那个野手叫Juan Soto， 就是第一场比赛的年轻左投。 他们说Soto也是个好打者。 “So I stayed and saw three at-bats,” Ulloa said recently in Spanish. “He got three hits. From then on, I never left him alone.” ＂所以我留下来看了三个打数，＂ Ulloa用西语说。 ＂他打了三支安打。从此以後我就盯死他了。＂ Soto isn’t a pitcher anymore. He is a 19-year-old hit machine the Nationals signed for a then-club record $1.5 million bonus in July 2015 in hopes that he would eventually assume a corner outfield spot in Washington. Two full seasons into his professional career — despite appearing in just 83 games and none above Class A Hagerstown — Soto appears to be on a path to the big leagues because his hitting ability, scouts and officials insist, is extraordinary. Soto已经不再投球，他是个19岁的打击机器。 2015年七月， 国民用当时破队史记录的1.5M签约金签下Soto， 希望他有朝一日能扛下华盛顿角落外野手的责任。 两个完整职业球季过後， 尽管只打过83场比赛而且最高没超过1A Hagerstown， Soto显露出他正靠着那经过球探与球团认证过的非凡打击能力， 走向一条通往大联盟的康庄大道。 “He’s probably our best hitter in the minor leagues that we have right now,” Nationals Vice President of International Operations Johnny DiPuglia said. ＂他可能是我们小联盟目前拥有的最佳打者。＂ 国民国际事务部副总裁Johnny DiPuglia说。 Soto’s primary obstacle since signing has been staying healthy. A fractured ankle and surgery on his right hand limited him to just 32 games between Hagerstown and the Gulf Coast League last season. He produced when he played — he batted .351 with a .919 on-base-plus-slugging percentage across the two levels — but played in just nine games after May 2. 自从签约以来Soto的主要障碍就是保持健康。 去年脚踝骨折与手部手术限制他只在Hagerstown及GCL出赛32场。 当他能上场时很有贡献， 两个层级合计打击率.351，攻击指数.919； 不过五月二日後只打过九场比赛。 “Last year was a year filled with experiences,” Soto said recently in Spanish . “A lot of laughter, tears, a little bit of everything. I felt, at first, bad because I wanted to help my team and continue moving forward after my great start. But that was the way God wanted it to happen and that’s what I had to deal with.” ＂去年是充满教训的一年，＂ Soto用西语表示。 ＂许多欢笑、泪水，什麽都经历过一些。 最初我感觉很糟，因为我想帮助球队， 想延续开季火热的手感。 但上帝要事情这样子发生，我只能想办法面对。＂ Soto’s blend of skill and misfortune has produced a wide range of spots on baseball’s annual prospect rankings lists. Three major lists have been revealed over the past month, and each has a different take on Soto’s place among baseball’s top minor leaguers; Baseball America ranked him No. 56, MLB. com slotted him No. 29, and Baseball Prospectus had him at No. 22. 混合个人技巧与不幸遭遇的Soto聚集了大量棒球界年度新秀排行榜的目光。 上个月三大榜单公布， 每一份榜单都把Soto排上不同名次： BA排56，官网排29，BP排22。 “If he plays a full year, I think there’s going to be surprising things coming out of that guy,” DiPuglia said. “He’s very mature. One of the most mature young Latin players I’ve ever been around as far as spending his money, what he does for a plan, how he approaches the game.... He loves the game. He has an advanced [strike] zone knowledge and he’s the kind of kid you’d want to marry your daughter. He’s just a great kid. And he can hit. He’s an outstanding hitter. So I think if he plays a full year, I think this guy really goes up the charts.” ＂如果他打完整季，我想在他身上会有些令人惊喜的事情发生。＂ DiPuglia说。 ＂他很成熟，他是我遇过最成熟的拉丁球员之一； 包括他的金钱观念、他怎麽实践计画，与他如何应对比赛。 他喜爱比赛，拥有进阶好球带知识， 也是那种你想找来当女婿的孩子。 他就是这麽棒，然後又会打球。 他是个杰出的打者，所以我想如果他打满整季， 这家伙真能成为话题焦点。＂ The Nationals, of course, have their own evaluation system, and they hold Soto, their consensus No. 2 prospect behind Victor Robles, in high regard — so much that they have refused to make him available to the Miami Marlins as part of a trade package for catcher J.T. Realmuto. The Nationals envision Soto as a middle-of-the-order run producer from the left side, which the club may need after Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy become free agents next winter. Soto played mostly right field in 2017, but DiPuglia said he believes he will settle in left field in the majors. 国民，当然了，有他们自己的评估系统。 他们也给予Soto－一般认为仅次於Victor Robles的第二名新秀－很高的评价， 高到他们拒绝把Soto摆进包裹去交易马林鱼捕手J.T. Realmuto。 国民将Soto视为能制造分数的中心打线左打者， 这是明年冬天当Harper与Murphy进入自由市场後球队所需要的。 2017年Soto几乎都站右外野， 但DiPuglia相信Soto会在大联盟守左外野。 “Right now the area I want to improve most on is my defense,” Soto said. “ I’d like to improve my speed so I can be a better outfielder. I’d like to develop more as a fielder so I’m not just limited to right field and can play left field easily.” ＂当前我最想加强的是我的防守，＂ Soto说。 ＂我想增进速度，这样我就能成为更好的外野手。 我想培养作为野手的能力， 可以轻松扛下左外野而不是被限制在只能守右外野。＂ As for a player comparison, DiPuglia pointed to a left-handed corner outfielder who starred for the New York Yankees during their dynasty in the 1990s. 做为模板，DiPuglia选择90年代洋基王朝的左打外野角落明星。 “People think I’m crazy when I say this, but he reminds me a lot of Paul O’Neill,” DiPuglia said. “When I say Paul O’Neill, people, the hair on their arms doesn’t stand up, but Paul O’Neill had a hell of a career.... Something about him reminds me of Paul O’Neill. Maybe he’ll be better than him. But if he turns out to be Paul O’Neill, I’ll be happy.” ＂当我这麽说时大家都觉得我疯了，但Soto一直令我想起Paul O'Neill。＂ DiPuglia说。 ＂当我提到Paul O'Neill，人们不至於肃然起敬。 但Paul O'Neill有一个干爆超赞的职业生涯； Soto身上的某些东西让我想起Paul O'Neill， 或许Soto有机会更好。 不过如果Soto能成为Paul O'Neill，我会很高兴。＂ The Nationals are years away from finding out. Maybe it doesn’t happen; most prospects never pan out as envisioned. But club officials steadfastly believe Soto will become an impactful big leaguer if he can stay on the field and develop. They believe Ulloa found a star that Sunday afternoon. 国民有几年时间看看结果如何。 也许什麽都不会发生， 大多数新秀发展都不如预期。 但球团坚信Soto能冲击大联盟， 只要他能健康上场、持续养成。 他们相信Ulloa在那个周日午後的确挖到一颗明星。 -- 抓狂的FANBOY有多可怕 真的是遇过才知道 --

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