Since 2001, nine teenagers have appeared in major league games. The 19-year-old who will likely become the 10th sat at one of the smallest lockers in the Washington Nationals clubhouse Sunday morning, squished between a young reliever and a bullpen catcher, an unlikely place for a player some think has franchise-altering potential building in his powerful left-handed swing.

That 19-year-old, Juan Soto, began this season in Low-A Hagerstown. Less than two months later, while playing with the Class AA Harrisburg Senators in Richmond Saturday, his Manager Matt LeCroy found him with news.

“You’re going to the big leagues,” LeCroy told him.

“I was in shock,” Soto said. “I didn’t know that was going to happen. I text all my family.”

Soto, who decided to complete his first major league interview entirely in English Sunday morning, said getting to the big leagues was his goal this season. Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said he never actually considered a serious major league timetable. He and his staff just wanted to see how Soto bounced back from his injury-riddled 2017 season, but never ruled the majors out. Nationals Manager Dave Martinez said he figured Soto might be able to help this year, but didn’t know when. No one, from Soto to his manager to his general manager to the outside evaluators who rank prospects like him, expected him to arrive so soon.

“We thought because of the circumstances, because of the talent level, he’s earned a promotion here,” Rizzo said. “Obviously, the injury factor accelerated our timetable for him.”

“The injury factor” is a euphemism for the plague that is striking Nationals outfielders this season. Adam Eaton, Brian Goodwin and Victor Robles were already lost for months due to injury entering this weekend. Then Rafael Bautista broke his leg Thursday. Then Howie Kendrick tore his Achilles’ tendon Saturday. Suddenly, the Nationals’ best everyday outfield included a man, Matt Adams, who has little history as an outfielder at all. Their bench includes Andrew Stevenson, the promising young player who they rushed to the majors out of need in 2017, but hoped would get time to develop in Syracuse this year. Nothing has gone to plan.

As quickly as injuries struck down the Nationals’ other outfielders, Soto struck so many baseballs with so much force that he rocketed through the minor leagues at a nearly unprecedented pace. He began this season in Low-A Hagerstown, a relative formality after all those injuries in 2017 — a make-sure-he-knows-what-he’s-doing step that didn’t last long. He then moved to Class A Potomac, where he dominated so completely that the Nationals moved him to Class AA Harrisburg within weeks.

Bryce Harper began the 2011 season in Hagerstown and ended it in Harrisburg. Victor Robles began the 2017 season in Potomac and ended it in the majors. Soto began April in Hagerstown, and was in the majors by late May. He is not in the starting lineup against tough Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Alex Wood Sunday, but when he debuts, he will be the youngest player in the majors — the first player ever born after the Rays and Diamondbacks began playing games.

Since 2001, nine teenagers have played in the majors, including Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Felix Hernandez, Jose Reyes, Justin Upton and Melvin Upton Jr. When Soto debuts, he will become the eight teenage position player in that time. Rizzo, who also drafted Justin Upton with the Arizona Diamondbacks, will have drafted or signed three of them. He also brought up the youngest player in the majors last season, Robles.

“I’ve had the opportunity to bring several 19-year-old players to the big leagues and they had one thing in common. They knew the strike zone. They weren’t wild swingers. They controlled their at-bats,” Rizzo said. “With Justin Upton and Harp and Robles, all those guys at 19 years old had a really good feel for the strike zone. Juan has the same capabilities and feel for that, and we think that makes it easier for him to adapt to such an accelerated level.”

Soto might, in fact, have better strike zone recognition. Everyone who sees him raves about the way he lays off breaking balls and chooses good pitches to hit. The jump from Class A Potomac to Class AA Harrisburg was supposed to test him because double-A pitchers can throw off-speed stuff for strikes more consistently than anyone can at the lower levels. Soto had no trouble.

“[It wasn’t that hard] because I’m always looking for the fastball. If I look for the fastball,” Soto said. “The breaking ball is going to be easy.”

Rizzo said Soto is here to play, and Martinez indicated he will play against right-handed pitching and select left-handers. Soto is hitting .333 with a 1.183 OPS against right-handed pitching this season. He is hitting .432 with a 1.308 OPS against lefties.

“For me, if a guy is ready, he’s ready. It doesn’t matter his age, it really doesn’t,” Martinez said. “I watched this guy, and his ability to hit the ball all over the field is impressive. I’ve seen him hit balls to the left side of the field like right-handed hitters. I was just amazed how mature he was in the batter’s box.”

A No. 22 jersey hung in Soto’s locker, fitting for a Dominican-born player who grew up another No. 22 — Robinson Cano. At one point Sunday morning, the last National to debut as a teenager — now clad in a shirt with his brand name across it, now entering the final year before testing the market as one of the most talked-about superstars in recent history, came over and shook Soto’s hand. He didn’t say much. Soto shook 25-year-old Bryce Harper’s hand, smiled and nodded politely. They haven’t talked about anyone quite like this since Harper showed up in this clubhouse six years ago. Players like this don’t come along very often.

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