Soroka called up by Braves, set to make big league debut

Right-hander Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) has been called up by the Atlanta Braves. Photo Credit: Baseball Canada

May 1, 2018

Soroka promoted to Braves, set to make MLB debut

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA - Junior National Team alumnus Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) will make his Major League Baseball debut tonight (7:10 p.m. E.T.) against the New York Mets at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y.

The Atlanta Braves announced that they’re promoting the 20-year-old from triple-A Gwinnett where he’s pitched to a 2-0 record with a 1.99 ERA and 24 strikeouts over four starts (22 2/3 innings pitched).

Soroka, 20, is set to become the seventh Canadian to appear in the big leagues in 2018 and the 24th graduate of the Junior National Team program to reach the big leagues since the 1999 MLB Draft. Soroka’s promotion is the second big league debut for a Canadian in 2018 after Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) played in his first big league game on April 19 as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Soroka’s ascent to the big leagues has been nothing short of impressive since the Braves made him a first-round selection (28th overall) in the 2015 draft. After an All-Star season with class-A Rome in 2016, Soroka skipped class-A Advanced and pitched for double-A Mississippi in 2017 where he was 11-8 with a 2.78 ERA. He represented Canada at the Future’s Game in Miami last July, and was named Braves Minor League Pitcher of the Year following the season.

A three-year member of the Junior National Team (2013-2015), Soroka helped Canada to a bronze medal at the 2014 COPABE 18U Pan American Championships in La Paz, Mexico where he started the bronze medal game against Mexico.

Prior to joining the Junior National Team program, Soroka represented his native Alberta at the 2013 Canada Games in Sherbrooke, Que., and led the squad to a bronze medal before participating in the first edition of Tournament 12 at Rogers Centre.