MLB Player Talks Voting Yankees' Juan Soto as Most Overrated: 'Could Be a Spite Pick'

The Athletic released its 2024 MLB Player Poll on Monday, and one of the categories was the most overrated player in baseball.

That distinction went to Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins, but exactly one vote went to New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto.

"Could be a spite pick, to be honest," the player who selected him said. "I feel like all he does is walk and hit singles, and doesn't hit for power like he's portrayed. Also not a good fielder."

Anthony Rendon finished second in the overrated voting, followed by Carlos Correa, Tim Anderson and Jack Flaherty.

Soto, 25, has looked properly rated this season, hitting .318 with 17 homers, 53 RBI, 49 runs and a 1.027 OPS.

He ranks sixth in MLB in homers, fourth in RBI, fifth in runs and second in OPS. If it wasn't for the epic season his teammate, Aaron Judge, is putting together (.305 with 24 homers, 59 RBI, 51 runs and a 1.139 OPS), Soto would arguably be the favorite for the AL MVP.

He missed the team's much-hyped series against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend with elbow inflammation, and the Yankees dropped two of the three games. And Alex Verdugo admitted that the team undeniably missed having him out there.

"He's a big part of our lineup. He's a big part of how our offense rolls," he told Jon Heyman of the New York Post. "The Soto hype's always been there. (But) just playing with him is kind of validating. His vision at the plate... his ability to hit to all fields with power... it's eye-opening."

"He's been carrying this team all year," Judge added.

That's arguable, given the monstrous season Judge has been having himself. At the very least, the one-two punch of Judge and Soto—combined with the fantastic performance of the starting rotation this year, all without Gerrit Cole—has led the Yankees to a 46-21 record, the best mark in the American League and the second-best mark in baseball behind only the Philadelphia Phillies (45-20).

Nothing overrated about that.