With most MLB teams playing their opening game of the 2025 season Thursday, a number of players will be suiting up for new teams for the first time in the regular season. Of that group, few debuts will be more hotly anticipated than that of Juan Soto.

Back in December, Soto signed a colossal 15-year, $765 million deal (the biggest in MLB history) with the New York Mets, taking his talents across the Big Apple after playing for the New York Yankees in 2024.

All eyes will be on Soto as he looks to embark on a memorable debut season with the Mets. He won't be the first star looking to make an immediate impact after inking a massive new deal.

Here's how the first years went for other baseball players on $300 million-plus contracts.

Shohei Ohtani, 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract value: $700 million

From National League-leading numbers in home runs and RBIs to NL MVP honors and a World Series trophy, it's safe to say Ohtani's first season with the Dodgers after his record deal was a roaring success.

Though the two-way star put only his hitting skills on display in his first season with his new squad, he made his reps at the plate count -- turning in career-best totals in home runs (54), RBIs (130), average (.310) and stolen bases (59). Ohtani etched himself in MLB history by becoming the first player with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Mike Trout, 2019, Los Angeles Angels

Contract value: $426.5 million

Trout garnered a major contract extension ahead of the 2019 season, and rewarded the Angels with an MVP campaign.

Though Trout has struggled to stay healthy since (and indeed ended 2019 hurt as well), the outfielder was stellar in his first season post-extension -- leading the league in on-base percentage (.438) and clubbing a career-best 45 home runs.

Aaron Judge, 2023, New York Yankees

Contract value: $360 million

Judge earned his big payday on the back of an American League-record 62-homer campaign in 2022, but he didn't reach the same heights in his first year under his new deal.

This wasn't due to any fault of the slugger's own, though, as he missed a decent chunk of the season with a toe injury. Judge finished 2023 with 37 home runs and 75 RBIs in 106 games.

Mookie Betts, 2021, Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract value: $365 million

Soon after the Dodgers acquired Betts in a blockbuster deal with the Red Sox, they inked the star outfielder to a big-time extension that would keep him from hitting the market after the shortened 2020 season.

Betts earned All-Star honors in the first full campaign under his new deal, but he missed out on the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards he had earned in seasons prior (as well as the next season).

Manny Machado, 2023, San Diego Padres

Contract value: $350 million

Machado inked a major extension ahead of the 2023 season with the Padres, an 11-year, $350 million deal. The extension came following an impressive year for the third baseman -- he finished second in National League MVP voting as San Diego eclipsed 80 wins for the first time in more than a decade.

His 2023 was fairly lackluster, however. Machado's production dropped from 2022 in just about every statistical category.

Francisco Lindor, 2022, New York Mets

Contract value: $341 million

Though Lindor and the Mets agreed to his 10-year deal ahead of the 2021 season, the first year of that contract wasn't until 2022 (Lindor had signed a one-year deal with the club to avoid arbitration earlier in the offseason).

Lindor had better numbers in his first season under the new deal, driving in a career-high 107 runs. He missed out on the Silver Slugger Award, but won it in each of the next two years.

Fernando Tatis Jr., 2021, San Diego Padres

Contract value: $340 million

Tatis was just 22 years old when he signed the extension, a massive long-term deal after his first two seasons in the majors.

The young star proceeded to turn in the best year of his career, clubbing a league-high 42 home runs to go with 97 RBIs, earning his first All-Star nod.

Bryce Harper, 2019, Philadelphia Phillies

Contract value: $330 million

The Phillies made a major splash when they landed Harper ahead of the 2019 season, with the outfielder arriving in the City of Brotherly Love with six All-Star nods already to his name at 26 years old.

Harper delivered immediately for his new team, hitting 35 home runs and driving in a career-high 114 runs.

Corey Seager, 2022, Texas Rangers

Contract value: $325 million

Though it wasn't quite at the level of his mammoth 2023 campaign that saw him finish second in AL MVP voting, Seager still turned in a productive season after he inked a long-term deal with the Rangers in December 2021.

Seager belted 33 home runs -- tied for his single-season career best -- and drove in 83 runs.

Giancarlo Stanton, 2015, Miami Marlins

Contract value: $325 million

After signing what at the time was the biggest contract in North American sports history, Stanton's ensuing season with the Marlins was unfortunately cut short because of injury.

The slugger was off to a highly productive start, cracking 27 home runs in 74 games, but a broken left wrist in June eventually led to the star outfielder being sidelined and ultimately shut down for the year.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers

Contract value: $325 million

Yamamoto signed his mega-deal for his first MLB season after plying his trade in Japan.

The Japanese ace posted a 7-2 regular-season record with the Dodgers, striking out 105 and finishing with an ERA of 3.00.

Gerrit Cole, 2020, New York Yankees

Contract value: $324 million

Prior to Yamamoto's deal, the record for the biggest contract ever signed by a pitcher was Gerrit Cole's with the Yankees in December 2019.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cole didn't suit up for his new club until July 2020, but he hit the ground running in his debut season. The righty threw a pair of complete games in his 12 starts, finishing with a 7-3 record and a 2.84 ERA.

Rafael Devers, 2024, Boston Red Sox

Contract value: $313.5 million

Though Devers signed his new deal with the Red Sox ahead of the 2023 season, a one-year agreement inked earlier in the offseason meant the first year of his long-term contract didn't come until 2024.

Devers belted 28 home runs to go with 83 RBIs and he was named to his third All-Star team last season.

Trea Turner, 2023, Philadelphia Phillies

Contract value: $300 million

Turner's $300 million deal added even more pop to an impressive Phillies lineup coming off a trip to the World Series the year prior.

Though the Phillies didn't make it back to the World Series in 2023, Turner quickly proved a successful addition to the squad, registering 30 stolen bases, 26 home runs and 76 RBIs.