Ah! At last something we can agree upon!
Yes, I believe he obviously recognized the Messiah.
Please stop though and realize that this does not teach that disembodied spirits are roaming the heavens waiting for their turn to be planted in a body. Both John and Jesus HAD bodies at the moment you describe and their spirit was in their body, which was in utero.
Jesus, who existed eternally, according to the scriptures, never had a body until he was made fully God and fully man
ampu
So, continuing on with your logic, how could John recognize either Mary or Jesus if his soul didn’t exist and know either of them before? Please explain?