‘He’s Babe Ruth for us right now:’ Tyler Soderstrom is taking Major League Baseball by storm

Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images

If I told you that there is a player in Major League Baseball who is currently on pace to break Barry Bonds’ single-season home run record, you probably would think it was Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge. However, it is not one of the reigning National or American League MVPs and is not a household name either.

Meet Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom.

After hitting his league-leading ninth home run on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox, Soderstrom is on pace to hit 76 home runs this season. In 19 games this season, the 23-year-old has a .314 average, a .385 on-base percentage, and a .686 slugging percentage.

“It’s pretty surreal,” said Tyler Soderstrom in an article on Athletics.com. “Growing up as a kid, I’d be pretty proud of myself right now. I’m just glad to be in this position. I’m super grateful for this opportunity, and I’m just trying to have a good time and take it day by day.”

While the former Top-25 prospect was due for a breakout season, many fans didn’t expect it to come in this fashion.

The Athletics selected Soderstrom 26th overall in the 2020 MLB Amateur Draft. The Turlock, California, native showed his power in four minor league seasons. Ranging from Single-A to Triple-A, Soderstrom hit .273 with 72 homers and 243 runs batted in.

Soderstrom made his MLB debut in July 2023 but struggled to translate his game from the minors to the majors, resulting in a demotion back to Triple-A Las Vegas to start the 2024 baseball season. Soderstrom would eventually return to the Athletics, playing 61 games in 2024.

Before the start of the 2025 MLB season, Soderstrom had played 106 major-league games across parts of two seasons. He hit .160 in his first stint and .233 in his second stint with the Athletics. Despite his early career struggles, the Athletics front office and fans were still high on Soderstrom developing into a quality major leaguer.

To say that Soderstrom has exceeded expectations this season would be an understatement.

He has hit a league-high nine home runs this season in 19 games played, equaling his home run total from the 61 major league games he played last year. Soderstrom, a left-handed hitter, reclaimed the league lead on Thursday afternoon with his first career homer off a left-handed pitcher. Soderstrom became the fifth player in franchise history to hit nine or more home runs in the first 19 games of the season, joining the likes of Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson and 12-time All-Star Mark McGwire.

“I just feel comfortable,” Soderstrom said. “I feel like I’m controlling the zone. I’m getting good pitches and I’m able to put good swings on them. … I’m just trying to keep putting good at-bats together, keep getting wins and having a good time.”

Some baseball fans will argue that Soderstrom is using the unique circumstances of the Athletics playing in a minor league stadium to inflate his numbers. However, Soderstrom has only hit two home runs at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, the temporary home of the Athletics. In fact, his .439 batting average on the road is the best in the majors.

It’s not just Soderstrom’s home run numbers that are impressive, but his improved plate discipline and ability to get on base show that this hot streak is not a fluke. His on-base percentage has improved by 68 points and his slugging percentage by 283, giving him an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.095, the fourth-highest mark in the league. Soderstrom’s strikeout percentage is down by 6.4 percent from last year, and his base on balls percentage is up by 1.9 percent from his rookie campaign.

While he may not be able to keep pace with Barry Bonds’ record, the underlying numbers suggest that Soderstrom has a bright future and could become a star in this league.

“Like I said before, he’s my pick to click this year,” said teammate Lawrence Butler. I’ve seen him do it in [Single-A], High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. Now he’s doing it in the big leagues. He’s Babe Ruth for us right now. I hope he keeps it going.”