Scott Boras: 6 things to know about the most interesting person at MLB Winter Meetings

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If tradition holds at this year’s Baseball Winter Meetings, there will be a not-quite-impromptu Scott Boras event.

At some point, word will circulate through the media room and within the massive, Christmastime-kitschy Opryland Resort that Boras will be speaking at a lobby location.

Often, the super-agent appears near a giant Christmas tree, adding a whimsical visual to the holiday windfall he’ll soon deliver to his star clients.

As the Hot Stove heats up, here are a few things to keep in mind about The Most Interesting Man at the Winter Meetings:

Scott Boras and his All-Star client lineup

The Boras Corporation represents some of the most intriguing free agents in this current field, including Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jordan Montgomery and star South Korean outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee, a possible Yankees or Mets target.

Boras also reps Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, currently under team control but prominent in trade discussions as they approach free agency.

The Scott Boras way

Lending to their star power, Boras clients tend to remain in free agency longer before cashing in.

As one small recent example, none of these recent bold-faced free agent pitching names already signed – Sonny Gray, Aaron Nola, Luis Severino, Lance Lynn – are Boras clients.

Also, Boras is known for taking his free-agent-to-be clients to free agency rather than signing long-term extensions with their current clubs – something that’s already occurred with Soto.

The Juan Soto situation

In 2022 at age 23, Soto rejected the Washington Nationals’ 15-year, $440 million contract (that’s a $29.3 million annual average contract, significantly less than Aaron Judge’s $40 million).  

At the MLB trade deadline that year, Soto was dealt to the San Diego Padres, who are now weighing whether to trade the superstar lefty-hitting outfielder before he reaches free agency next fall.

Soto would surely fit the Yankees’ current needs, but there’s no guarantee of extending Soto beyond 2024 after paying a hefty price in trade pieces to get him from San Diego.

Scott Boras on Juan Soto

Here’s what Boras told reporters, including the New York Times, about Soto’s situation at the 2022 All-Star Game, with a reference to his old contract record-setting client Alex Rodriguez:

“I haven’t had a player that’s a superstar since A-Rod who is going to be a 25-26-year-old free agent. They just don’t come along that often where you have that level of performance for their teams. They offer clubs a surplus value that may be as much as a billion dollars in performance.’’

That sure sounds like a plan to get every available dollar for Soto in free agency.

The New York connection

After the Mets’ year ended, Alonso – eligible for free agency after the 2024 season – hired Boras, who recently negotiated Mets contracts for Max Scherzer and Brandon Nimmo.

During Nimmo's press conference last December, Boras lauded Mets owner Steve Cohen for his propensity to spend and have his team "in it" every season.

"Our game needs Goliaths. We have to have Goliaths. You can envision Steve Cohen hanging on to the Empire State Building. There he is," Boras said. "And it's maybe not Steve Cohen, it's maybe Steve Kong. But when you're there and you're looking at it, how good is it for the game? It's really good for the game."

The Mets could be in on Montgomery, the former Yankee, while the Yanks have a distinct need for Bellinger’s potent lefty power and his defensive flexibility as an outfielder/first baseman.

As an aside, Boras negotiated Gerrit Cole’s nine-year, $324 million contract after the 2019 season, and Cole is probably going to get another $36 million.

Cole can opt out of his deal after the 2024 season, but the Yankees can cancel that by adding a 10th year to his contract.

He has a way with words

Boras has a way with words when it comes to propping up his clients.

During the General Manager's Meetings in 2022, the agent came armed with a number of puns to explain the opportunity for team's to sign each of his star clients.

When it came to shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who eventually signed an 11-year, $280 million deal with the Padres, Boras offered some pop culture: "This is the first time teams have had a chance to sign the X-man. I think they're finding it to be a marvel opportunity."

On Rodon, who signed with the Yankees for $162 million over six years, he offered some high praise for the lefty's Cy Young candidacy in 2022: "And this year, Rodon has sculpted another masterpiece. And I think in the marketplace his definition of museum-level art is now clearly understood by the teams."

And for Nimmo, who returned to the Mets, he had some fun with his name and a Disney reference: "There are a lot of teams in the free-agent market that are in the waters for a center fielder. Whoever Pixar guy will be the lucky one to Finding Nimmo."

It's safe to say the quote-worthy comments will be flying from Boras once again this week in Nashville.