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Atlanta Braves Top 100 Prospects Scouting Report: 17. Mike Soroka

By Benjamin Chase

Apr 28, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; A ball sits on the mound prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; A ball sits on the mound prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 11, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Bud Norris speaks with pitching coach Roger McDowell (45) and catcher A.J. Pierzynski (15) on the mound during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Bud Norris speaks with pitching coach Roger McDowell (45) and catcher A.J. Pierzynski (15) on the mound during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Scouting Report

More from Tomahawk Take

Soroka has 3 starts available to view thus far this sesaon. In total, in those starts, he’s thrown 15 innings with 10 hits allowed, 2 runs allowed (1 earned), 2 walks, and 17 strike outs.

Soroka is listed as 6’4 and 195 pounds. He actually looks a bit bigger than that, with thick legs in his build. I really like his motion. He has an easy, repeatable motion, basing him on his thick legs as he stays tall and balanced in his motion until he explodes toward the plate with a low 3/4 delivery.

Soroka’s fastball sits in the low 90s, but it can touch 94+ with very good movement. He throws a four-seam and two-seam fastball with nearly the same velocity, which adds to the difficulty of hitters in expecting how the pitch will finish as the pitch moves well. He has an exceptional change up with plenty of sink that plays well off the sinking fastball. He throws a breaking pitch that he admits is more of a slurve than a true curve or slider.

The sinker has tremendous late dive down and to the corners on each side of the plate. His four-seam fastball acts nearly as a cutter with sharp horizontal movement late. The change has more of a straight sink than the corner sink that the sinking fastball uses, but he works it well on both sides of the plate. I was much more impressed with his slurve than I thought I would be. It does behave like a hard slider or a sharp-breaking curve, so it’s understandable to have his description of the pitch. He worked it very well starting at the hitter’s belt and having it end up just below the knees, and while I didn’t get any velocity readings in the game I was watching, the visual velocity as I watched had it looking very similar to his change up in speed.

Next: Future outlook

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