José Joaquín Soriano Bio
José Joaquín Soriano is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). The right-hander made his MLB debut in 2023 after progressing through the Los Angeles Angels minor-league system. Soriano has built his career on resilience, returning to the mound after multiple surgeries to become a steady contributor in the Angels’ pitching staff.
Early Life and Background
José Joaquín Soriano was born on October 20, 1998, and grew up in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic has long produced a deep pipeline of Major League Baseball talent, and Soriano developed within that baseball-rich environment. From an early age, he focused on pitching, the position he has occupied throughout his professional career.
Soriano’s background as a Dominican-born pitcher helped shape his path toward professional baseball. The country’s strong amateur and development programs gave him an avenue to pursue a career in the sport. That foundation ultimately led to his signing with a Major League organization as a teenager.
Path to Baseball
Soriano entered professional baseball as an international free agent when he signed with the Los Angeles Angels on March 4, 2016, for a $70,000 signing bonus. He made his professional debut that same year with the DSL Angels, where he posted a 3–5 record and a 1.58 ERA across 14 games, an impressive opening to his career.
The following seasons brought steady development across several minor-league levels. In 2017, Soriano split time between the Rookie-level AZL Angels and the Rookie-level Orem Owlz, recording a combined 2–2 record and 4.13 ERA in 13 appearances. He continued his climb in 2018 with the Single-A Burlington Bees, going 1–6 with a 4.47 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. In 2019, Soriano returned to the AZL Angels and Burlington, posting a 5–7 record and 2.51 ERA with 92 strikeouts over 82.0 innings, showing the strikeout ability that would later define his MLB profile.
On February 13, 2020, Soriano underwent Tommy John surgery, prematurely ending his 2020 season, which was subsequently cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The procedure marked the first major setback of his professional career and tested his resolve to return to competitive baseball.
José Joaquín Soriano Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
Soriano’s first four professional seasons were spent entirely within the Los Angeles Angels organization, moving methodically from the Dominican Summer League up to Single-A. Across the DSL Angels, AZL Angels, Orem Owlz, and Burlington Bees, he gained valuable innings and experience against progressively more advanced competition.
His 2019 campaign stood out as his most productive minor-league season before injury, when his 92 strikeouts in 82.0 innings demonstrated the swing-and-miss stuff that the Angels had seen when they signed him three years earlier. The momentum of that season, however, was halted when he required Tommy John surgery in early 2020.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2020–2021)
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Soriano from the Angels in the 2020 Rule 5 draft, giving them the rights to the young right-hander. On February 17, 2021, Soriano was placed on the 60-day injured list as he continued to recover from his first Tommy John procedure. When he did return to the mound in 2021, the results were difficult, as he pitched to a 14.73 ERA in two games for the High-A Bradenton Marauders before suffering another injury.
On June 15, 2021, Soriano underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career, a serious setback that further delayed his development. The back-to-back surgeries raised questions about his long-term outlook, but the right-hander remained determined to return to professional baseball.
Los Angeles Angels Second Stint (2021–2023)
On November 14, 2021, the Pittsburgh Pirates returned Soriano to the Los Angeles Angels, allowing him to resume his career within the organization that had originally signed him. In August 2022, Soriano returned to action, beginning a rehab assignment with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Angels. After he was activated from the injured list, he was assigned to the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers.
In seven appearances between the two affiliates during his 2022 rehab, Soriano registered a 2.08 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched, a strong return that earned him a spot on the Angels’ 40-man roster. On November 15, 2022, the Angels selected his contract to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, signaling their confidence in his recovery.
Soriano was optioned to the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas to start the 2023 season, where he logged a 4.24 ERA with 31 strikeouts and one save in 17 appearances covering 23.1 innings. On June 3, 2023, the Angels promoted Soriano to the major leagues for the first time, marking the realization of years of perseverance. In 38 appearances out of the bullpen during his rookie campaign, he compiled a 3.64 ERA with 56 strikeouts over 42 innings of work.
2024 Season and Recent Form
Soriano made 22 appearances, including 20 starts, for the Angels in 2024, compiling a 6–7 record and 3.42 ERA with 97 strikeouts across 113 innings pitched. The transition to a starting role demonstrated the organization’s belief in his long-term value as a rotation piece. He was placed on the injured list with right arm fatigue on August 14, 2024, and was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 7, ending his season.
On June 10, 2025, Soriano recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in a game against the Athletics, a milestone performance that highlighted his continued development. The Angels later won that game on a Nolan Schanuel walk-off hit, capping a memorable outing for the young pitcher.
Driving Style and Strengths
Soriano’s profile is built around a power arm and the ability to miss bats at a high rate, an approach that has produced consistent strikeout totals at every level. His work ethic and perseverance through two Tommy John surgeries have defined his professional narrative, and his progression from the bullpen to a starting role reflects growing confidence in his durability and pitch count management.
Notable Events and Milestones
Soriano’s MLB debut on June 3, 2023, marked the culmination of a long road back from injury. His 12-strikeout performance against the Athletics on June 10, 2025, stands as a career high and one of the signature moments of his early major-league career, reinforcing his reputation as a strikeout pitcher.
José Joaquín Soriano Career Wins
Across his professional career, José Joaquín Soriano has accumulated wins at the DSL, Rookie, Single-A, High-A, Double-A, and Major League levels. His MLB career includes wins recorded during the 2024 season, when he posted a 6–7 record as a member of the Los Angeles Angels rotation.
Major League Highlights
Soriano’s 2024 campaign represented his first full taste of starting at the major-league level, and his 6–7 record reflected both the growing pains and the promise of a young pitcher finding his footing. His career-high 12-strikeout game against the Athletics in June 2025 underscored the upside that has made him a focal point of the Angels’ pitching plans.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minor leagues, Soriano recorded wins with the DSL Angels, AZL Angels, Orem Owlz, Burlington Bees, Bradenton Marauders, Inland Empire 66ers, and Rocket City Trash Pandas. His minor-league track record, combined with two recoveries from Tommy John surgery, established him as a notable resilience story within the Los Angeles Angels system.
José Joaquín Soriano Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about José Joaquín Soriano’s family background is limited, with no widely reported details about parents or relatives available in verified sources.
Personal Life
Verified details about José Joaquín Soriano’s personal life, including marital status and children, are not publicly available. The pitcher was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, a country that has produced a deep pipeline of Major League Baseball talent.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been a continuation of José Joaquín Soriano’s growth within the Los Angeles Angels organization, with the right-hander holding a place in the team’s pitching staff. On June 10, 2025, Soriano recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts in a game against the Athletics, a standout performance that highlighted his strikeout ability and competitive presence on the mound.
Coming off a 2024 campaign in which he made 22 appearances, including 20 starts, and posted a 3.42 ERA with 97 strikeouts across 113 innings, Soriano entered 2025 with an opportunity to build on his first extended major-league look. The Angels later won his milestone game on a Nolan Schanuel walk-off hit, a reminder of the offensive support surrounding the young pitcher.
Looking ahead, Soriano’s outlook within the Los Angeles Angels organization remains promising, given his track record of strikeouts, his progression from a Rule 5 pick to a rotation candidate, and his demonstrated ability to return from significant arm injuries. His continued development will be a key storyline for the Angels’ pitching staff as the 2025 season unfolds.