All-Star outfielder Juan Soto (pictured) rewarded infielder Brett Baty with an SUV on Thursday for letting him have the No. 22 jersey for the New York Mets. File Photo by Corey Sipkin/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 19 (UPI) — Juan Soto used a small slice of his $765 million contract to surprise New York Mets teammate Brett Baty with a new SUV on Thursday as a reward for giving up his No. 22 jersey number.
Soto gave veteran infielder the 2025 Chevy Tahoe RST, valued at an estimated $80,000, outside of Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Mets players reported earlier this week to their spring training campus.
“It’s all yours,” Soto told Baty in a video of the presentation posted on the Mets’ social media accounts. “You can drive it and everything.”
The SUV’s rear window was painted with “Thanks for #22.”
Baty, 25, was a first-round pick by the Mets in the 2019 MLB Draft. He wore No. 22 over 169 appearances the last three seasons. Baty will wear No. 7 this season.
Soto, 26, wore No. 22 over the last seven years during his tenures with the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees.
The Mets will host the Houston Astros in their first spring training game at 1:10 p.m. EST Saturday in Port St. Lucie.