Mike Soroka

Position: RHSP
Level: Double-A
Affiliate: Mississippi Braves
League: Southern League
Born: 08/04/1997 (Age: 26)
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 225
B/T: Right / Right
Acquired: 1st Rd., (#28 overall), 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft (ATL)

Prospect Spotlight

Along with lefty Kolby Allard, Soroka is another projectable, young arm worth keeping an eye on in the Braves’ system, and another first-rounder from the 2015 MLB Draft (#28 overall). Soroka is a big man, well-proportioned for his 6-foot-5 frame and durably built. He works without a windup with a shorty arm action and a shallow wrap in the back. The arm is quick, and the ball really jumps out of his hand even with a smooth delivery. He shows good tempo and rhythm, allowing him to repeat well especially for a big guy, and has an above-average feel for pitching and double-plus control so far as a pro, walking just 2.03-per-nine innings this year, and 2:03 last year over 143 innings in the Class A South Atlantic League.

His fastball was sitting 90-to-94 mph with most readings at 91 mph, but the pitch projects to plus at maturity. He shows plus deception with it, and can work it with heavy sinking action in the lower velocities. The run and tailing action and plus movement at the higher velos play the pitch up, as does his above average command of the offering. He also throws a cutter at 86-to-87 mph that has short, quick and deceptive movement. The slider has potential to get to average but is presently inconsistent, and he over-uses the pitch, though it has average spin. The changeup is too soft at present, in the 80-to-82 mph range. While the change and slider are the biggest points of development for Soroka, he is constantly around the zone pitching to contact with double-plus control, which along with a projectable above-average arsenal across the board, gives him a ceiling of a Role 60 number three starter, and a solid floor of a Role 50 number four.