Pro Routine Suits Mike Soroka

Mike Soroka (Photo by Tom Priddy)

ATLANTA—Nowhere was the Braves’ pitching depth more obvious than during the South Atlantic League playoffs. Low Class A Rome manager Randy Ingle had four first-round picks make seven starts in the two rounds.

A Rome rotation featuring lefthanders Kolby Allard and Max Fried and righthanders Mike Soroka and Touki Toussaint combined to go 5-1, 0.73 with 50 strikeouts and just 34 hits allowed in 49.1 innings.

Receiving the ball first in both rounds was Soroka, the 2015 first-rounder and former member of the Canadian junior national team. He began the Braves’ charge to the SAL crown with a victory against Charleston.

The 19-year-old Soroka emerged as Rome’s most consistent pitcher in 2016 by going 9-9, 3.02 with 125 strikeouts and 32 walks in 143 innings. He is quick to credit Ingle and Rome pitching coach Dan Meyer for creating an atmosphere that led to success.

“There’s no reason to complicate things,” said Soroka, who attended high school in Calgary. “It was just a matter of learning how to do it every day and learning how to bring your best stuff to the table every time you go out. That’s been it for me—being able to bring the same intensity to each pitch.”

Like most young Canadians, Soroka spent considerable time on ice. After 10 years of playing hockey, including the last several as a goalie, he decided to focus on baseball. His development took off when he began working with former big league reliever Chris Reitsma and earning a spot on Team Canada.

Impressed with what they saw in Soroka during Team Canada’s annual spring trip to Florida, the Braves used their second first-round pick to select him in 2015. He commands a low-90s fastball as well as an above-average breaking ball and solid changeup.

“If anything, I over-prepared for the season,” Soroka said. “I heard a lot of things about first full seasons being a real grind and all, but once I got in that stable routine, it got easy. The last two months just flew by.”

WIGWAM WISPS

• Outfielder Ronnier Mustelier, who hit .291/.353/.394 at Triple-A Gwinnett, got off to a fast start in the Mexican Pacific League, going 27-for-70 (.386) through 17 games.

• The Braves signed 29-year-old lefthanded reliever Sam Freeman to a minor league deal. He has averaged about 94 mph on his fastball during callups the past three seasons.