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Summary
A long, athletic right-hander who stands 6'5", 210 lbs., Mike Soroka is the best Canadian pitching prospect in recent memory. With feel for pitching, a smooth, simple delivery and a promising pair of offspeed pitches, Soroka looks the part of a future major league starter. Hailing from Calgary, Soroka is part of a strong Canadian class that could see players selected on the first day of the draft- Soroka, outfielder Demi Orimoloye, and first baseman Josh Naylor.
Soroka's calling card is his live fastball which sits in the low 90s, but plays up immensely due to its movement. According to Baseball America, his fastball was registered between 2,300 and over 2,500 RPM by TrackMan, with both run and sink. The pitch tends to act a bit differently from a movement perspective when thrown to different spots in the zone, adding to its deception. His primary offspeed option is his changeup, which shows more consistency than his breaking ball at this point. the pitch gets good sink and Soroka shows a willingness to throw it in any count. His breaking ball is less consistent and can flatten out at times, but like his fastball it has a well-above average spin rate- being clocked as high as 3,000 RPM by TrackMan. At its best it can slice through the zone with two-plane break and late bite, but the shape needs to become more consistent for it to become a reliable swing and miss offering.
Though he's still in the earlier stages of his development, Soroka has plenty of time to grow as he will be just 17 on draft day. There is still some projection in his frame and he could add more velocity to his heater down the line. The key to his improvement will be the development of his breaking ball, but the potential it shows should be enough to convince teams that his future is in the rotation.
MLB Projection
Soroka could develop into a #3 starter with improvement to his breaking ball, but is still in his prospect infancy.
Projected Draft Round
Currently ranked in the back half of most top 100s, Soroka should go between the second and fourth rounds.
College Commitment
Cal
Will he sign?
Soroka has the raw ability to develop into a first round pick in college, but should be signable for the right price as he is already a highly regarded prospect.
Video
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