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Atlanta Braves pitching prospects, Soroka and Allard, have strong AA debuts

By Josh Brown |
Jun 12, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A major league baseball rest in the grass prior to the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 12, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A major league baseball rest in the grass prior to the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Last week, much to the surprise of many fans and writers, the Atlanta Braves decided to promote fellow first-rounders Kolby Allard and Mike Soroka to Double-A Mississippi, skipping the organization’s High-A affiliate, the Florida Fire Frogs. To many, this was a surprise, but to scouts it wasn’t.

When you’ve got the best farm system in baseball, built around pitching, and you’re planning to continue to draft pitching, there’s little time to be overly patient with your best pitching prospects. No matter how old they are. So the Atlanta Braves seem to be throwing some of their best into the fire to see how they do.

Fellow former Rome Brave, Max Fried, joined Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard in skipping High-A, but based on Fried’s age (23), this wasn’t completely unexpected. So, the ascent of Soroka and Allard is much  more steep because they are still only 19-years-old.

To put this age into perspective, the ERA leaders last year in the Southern League were ages 23, 24 and 25.

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And to put double-A baseball into perspective, it’s important to understand that the jump from high-A to double-A is a big jump.

Your best talent and your strongest prospects are usually in double-A, not triple-A. Triple-A, in general, is much more of a holding cell for MLB fringe vets who are still clinging to their careers, minor league vets, and a strong prospect here and there.

The competition in double-A is arguably the strongest, therefore the most challenging. But especially so for teenagers who have skipped high-A altogether.

Soroka impressed scouts last year when he went 9-9 and posted a 3.02 ERA in 143 innings in Rome. Allard impressed scouts just as much or more when he threw 12 scoreless innings in the playoffs, following a 3.73 ERA in the regular season with Rome. Their performances, their stuff and their mental makeup seem to have warranted the quick advancements.

How did they do in their Double-A debuts?

Not only did they do well, but they both went at least 80 pitches. In the world of overly-cautious pitch counts, especially in the minors and especially early in the season in the minors, this was a signal from the Braves that they’re not messing around with these two.

Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves /

Atlanta Braves

Allard threw 82 pitches in his debut with a final line of 55 strikes – 5 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. He struggled a little bit allowing some base runners, but striking out 5 in your double-A debut as a 19-year-old is a clear win.

Soroka threw 80 pitches in his debut with a final line of 53 strikes – 5IP, 2H, 0BB, 0R, 7K. Seven strikeouts and zero earned runs says it all. While Mike Soroka isn’t a power pitcher, his change-up and control of his breaking ball could be his ticket to the big leagues if he continues to impress.

It’s only one start. Baseball’s a long season and the percentage of guys making it all the way is low.

We know this.  But the Atlanta Braves feel that these two teenagers have a better shot at pitching in SunTrust Park than lots of other guys.

Next: A look at the Rome Braves' dominant first week

Don’t expect them to be in the majors this year, but when you’re in double-A, you’re just a phone call away.

That rhymed.

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