WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Juan Soto said he had never actually been inside the Nationals' home clubhouse at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, not before he arrived Monday morning for his first big league camp.
It was a brief reminder of just how meteoric Soto's rise to D.C. had been. A year ago, Soto was in Minor League camp, a player Nationals evaluators raved about as perhaps the best pure hitter in the organization, but one who's impact in Washington seemed in the distant future. He did play in five Grapefruit League games, but at 19 years old, he was destined to begin the season at Class A.