Atlanta Braves 2017 Top 10 Prospects: Where Are They Now?
By Seth Carter
5. Mike Soroka
Mike Soroka is yet another first-rounder to find himself inside of the Braves’ top 10 prospects heading into the 2017 season. Soroka was taken by the Braves with the 28th overall selection out of Bishop Carrol High School in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The righty was inside the consensus top 100 prospects for three consecutive years between 2017-2019.
Over five Minor League seasons, Soroka posted a 2.84 ERA and has done even better in the Majors with a 2.79 ERA over two seasons. Soroka broke in with the Braves in 2018 and contributed a 3.51 ERA in 25.2 innings.
He’s not the strikeout machine that many of the other pitchers on this list are, but he is a control freak.
If Pete Alonso had not set the rookie home run record last season, Soroka would have had himself a Rookie of the Year Award. In 2019, Soroka posted a stellar 2.68 ERA in 174.2 innings while walking just 41. Soroka was worth a 5.6 rWAR last season with a 13-4 record.
Soroka may not have come away with the Rookie of the Year Award but he made the All-Star team in his rookie campaign and finished sixth in Cy Young voting.
He left Braves’ fans wishing Brian Snitker had pegged him as the Game One starter in the 2019 NLDS instead of Dallas Keuchel.
Soroka’s lone appearance came in Game Three when he went seven innings and allowed only two hits and one run. Soroka issued zero free passes in the pressure cooker. If anyone questioned who the ace of this staff was prior to this game, he provided all of the necessary answers.
Soroka walked a stellar 2.1 batters per nine last season while allowing just 0.7 homers per nine. He is projected to open the 2020 season as the Braves’ undisputed Opening Day starter.