4. SP Mike Soroka – Tim Hudson
I went close-to-home for this comparison. Although Mike Soroka‘s sinker may not be quite as effective as the great Tim Hudson‘s, it’s pretty darn good. While his six-foot-five frame dwarfs Hudson’s six-foot-one stature, Mike Soroka isn’t much different from the former sinkerballer. Soroka’s command of all his pitches may, in fact, rival Hudson’s.
Soroka can throw multiple variations of his fastball, a nasty curveball, and a useful changeup for strikes virtually whenever he wants, and that’s something that was one of the reasons Tim Hudson was able to have such a long, successful career.
Mike Soroka may perfect the sinker before arriving in the big leagues, and then the Tim Hudson comparisons will start rolling in. For now, though, it’s still safe to make a Hudson comparison because of Soroka’s dominance at all levels in the minor leagues thus far. He could be in Atlanta as soon as mid-2018, and he’ll make an immediate impact on the team’s success.