It has not taken long for Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Soroka to make his mark on the majors.
The Atlanta Braves have an impressive stable of pitching prospects on the cusp of reaching the majors. Heading into the season, the Braves had eight players on the MLB.com top 100 prospect list. Of those eight, five of the prospects were pitchers, with Mike Soroka, Ian Anderson, Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, and Bryse Wilson making the cut.
Of those pitchers, Soroka has made the most impact at the major league level. In fact, through his first ten starts, Soroka has become the first pitcher since earned runs were a statistic to allow one or fewer runs in at least eight of those outings.
Since earned runs became an official stat in 1913, Mike Soroka is the only pitcher in MLB history to allow one earned or none in eight of his first ten career starts.#Braves @680TheFan https://t.co/FHklDQusqk
— Kevin McAlpin (@KevinMcAlpin) May 10, 2019
Soroka showed glimpses of what he could be last season. In a five start trial last season, he posted a solid 3.51 ERA in his 25.2 innings, striking out 21 batters. However, his command was not quite where the Braves would have hoped, as he posted a 1.442 WHiP, mainly due to being around the plate too much.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
This season, Soroka looks to be a burgeoning ace for the Braves. Through 29.2 innings, he has posted a stellar 1.21 ERA and a 1.045 WHiP, striking out 31 batters. The command is still a work in progress, as he has issued 11 walks and hit a league high five batters, yet Soroka has managed to minimize that damage.
While Soroka will not pitch at that level ass season, there is every indication that his success is not a fluke. He has done a tremendous job of keeping the ball on the ground, getting 1.69 grounders for every fly ball this season. Those extreme ground ball tendencies have kept Soroka from allowing a home run this season, furthering his excellent start.
Of all the top pitching prospects that the Braves possess, it is possible that Soroka ends up as the best of the group. He has a four pitch mix that he can throw for strikes at any time, with a particularly devastating two seam fastball that is essentially a sinker. His pitchability and pure stuff could lead to Soroka becoming a true ace, especially if he can harness that command.
Mike Soroka has already made history with the Atlanta Braves. He may just be getting started.