On May 15, 2018, Juan Soto had three hits for the Harrisburg Senators as his meteoric rise through the minor leagues was nearing its conclusion with a brief stop at Double-A. Meanwhile, his parent club, the Washington Nationals, battled the New York Yankees to a 3-3 tie that night before rain interrupted their game in the sixth inning. By the time that suspended game was completed on June 18, Soto had been promoted to the majors and had already smashed five home runs. When he entered as a pinch hitter against the Yankees, he socked the fifth pitch he saw into the second deck at Nationals Park for what is officially scored as the first home run of his career—even though his official major-league debut came on May 20. Time travel is not among the skills baseball players would typically list on a résumé, but Juan Soto is not your typical baseball player.
When the Nationals signed Soto as a 16-year-old, they saw a disciplined hitter with a “graceful” swing, and that scouting report helped land him a spot in the 2016 Bowman Prospects set. This Gold Refractor /50 Rookie Auto from Bowman Chrome is among the most sought-after first-year autos of the perennial MVP candidate, and it is expected to drum up a lot of interest after Soto’s superlative 2024 season with the Yankees and ensuing high-profile move to the Mets.
Only one example of this card has earned a higher grade from BGS than this gorgeous true 9.5.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 02/04/25.
