The Dominican Republic has long been a pipeline for Major League Baseball. That remains true in the current landscape of the game, as some of the league's brightest stars are from the country.
Notably, Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, Padres infielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and Blue Jays outfielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have formed a dominant, young trio that amazes on a nightly basis -- even if some don't quite agree with their style and flair. The thought of facing all three at the top of the lineup would be a nightmare for any pitcher, but if it were to happen, what would the order be?
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Soto gave his take on MLB Network's Intentional Talk, and his strategy shows that a managerial career could be in his future.
Leading off, Soto opted to go with Tatis Jr. With a rare combination of power, speed and bat control, he believes there's no doubt the dynamic star will be able to get on base and set the tone. His body of work so far in 2020 supports that.
"I got Tatis leadoff. He's hitting leadoff right now, he's doing great," Soto said. "He can hit the ball out of the park on the first pitch. Leadoff Tatis."
NBC Sports
From there, Soto will place himself in the No. 2 hole. While he has constantly deployed his ability to hit the ball 400-plus feet, Soto has given himself a different role in this spot.
"Try to get a double, try to get Tatis around, or if I get a base hit two men on base," Soto said.
The reasoning he's focused on getting on base is because of who lurks behind him: Guerrero Jr. With one of the most explosive swings in the game, Soto wants to ensure his No. 3 hitter has the opportunity to drive in as many runs as possible.
When Guerrero steps up to the plate, Soto always expects fireworks.
"Bring in Vladdy to hit it out of the park," Soto said. "Not out of the field, out of the park."
Soto's reasoning seems airtight, and it feels like every game would start at least 1-0 with that 1-2-3 starting off the first inning. With the skills each player possesses, there really isn't a wrong answer.
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Juan Soto shares his ideal batting order of himself, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
