Michael Soroka Bio
Michael John Graydon Soroka is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs. Soroka made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Braves.
He was an MLB All-Star in 2019 and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting. In 2020, he became the youngest Opening Day starter in the modern history of the Atlanta Braves before an Achilles injury ended his season. After multiple injury setbacks, Soroka returned to the major leagues in 2023 and has since rebuilt his career as a reliable arm in various rotations.
Early Life and Background
Michael John Graydon Soroka was born on August 4, 1997, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is the son of Gary, a former university and junior hockey player, and Sally Soroka, and he has two half-sisters. His mother died in 2010 of melanoma when he was 12, a personal loss that shaped his early years.
Soroka attended Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary, where he balanced athletics with academics. As a youth, he was a goalie in hockey before deciding to concentrate on baseball. He pitched for the Canadian junior national team, where he was coached by Chris Reitsma, a fellow Canadian pitcher who became his mentor. By his senior year, Soroka had committed to play college baseball at the University of California, Berkeley on a scholarship, and he was ranked 88th in Baseball America’s annual prospect rankings prior to the 2015 draft.
Path to Baseball
Soroka’s path to professional baseball was solidified by his development in the Canadian junior national program. Working under Chris Reitsma, he refined his pitching mechanics and grew into one of the top amateur arms in North America. His strong senior season at Bishop Carroll High School and his ranking among Baseball America’s top prospects placed him firmly on the radar of MLB scouts.
Although he had committed to the University of California, Berkeley, Soroka opted to enter the 2015 MLB Draft rather than attend college. His combination of size, polish, and advanced pitchability made him a clear first-round talent. That summer, the Atlanta Braves selected him 28th overall, launching his professional career in the United States.
Michael Soroka Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
After being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2015, Soroka reported to the Gulf Coast League Braves, where he posted a 1.80 ERA in ten innings before being reassigned to the Danville Braves. He finished that first professional season going 0–2 with a 3.75 ERA in six starts. The following year, he spent the 2016 season with the Rome Braves, posting a 9–9 record with a 3.02 ERA while continuing to develop his secondary pitches.
Soroka spent 2017 with the Mississippi Braves, where he went 11–8 with a 2.75 ERA across 153 and two-thirds innings. As one of the youngest players in Double-A, he was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game in July. He opened the 2018 season with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, posting a 1.99 ERA and 24 strikeouts over his first four starts, which earned him a promotion to the major leagues.
Atlanta Braves Breakthrough (2018–2023)
On May 1, 2018, the Braves promoted Soroka to the major leagues. He faced the New York Mets that night, pitching six innings, allowing one run, and recording five strikeouts. His rookie campaign was cut short by right shoulder inflammation, and he finished the year 2–1 with a 3.51 ERA in five starts.
In 2019, Soroka returned healthy and became the youngest pitcher in the National League upon his season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 18. He was named to the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, becoming the youngest Atlanta Braves pitcher ever selected for the Midsummer Classic. That season, he went 13–4 with a 2.68 ERA and 142 strikeouts over 174 and two-thirds innings across 29 starts, finishing as the runner-up for NL Rookie of the Year behind Pete Alonso and placing sixth in NL Cy Young voting. He was also selected to the All-MLB Second Team.
Soroka opened the shortened 2020 season for the Braves on July 24, pitching six scoreless innings against the New York Mets and becoming the youngest Opening Day starter in the team’s modern history at 22 years and 354 days old. On August 3, however, he tore his right Achilles’ tendon during a game against the Mets, prematurely ending his season. He missed the entirety of 2021 after re-tearing the Achilles during a June rehab walk, even as the Braves won the 2021 World Series. Soroka returned to the major leagues on May 29, 2023, winning his first game since September 2019 against the Miami Marlins before a right forearm inflammation ended his season in September.
Chicago White Sox Era (2023–2024)
On November 16, 2023, the Braves traded Soroka to the Chicago White Sox as part of a package for Aaron Bummer. With the White Sox, he transitioned to a bullpen role in May 2024 after struggling in the rotation. In 25 total appearances for Chicago, he compiled an 0–10 record and 4.74 ERA with 84 strikeouts across 79 and two-thirds innings. His winless record was historically poor, ranking as the fourth-worst no-win season in the modern era and the most losses by a pitcher without a single win since 1982.
Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs Era (2025)
On December 19, 2024, Soroka signed a one-year, $9 million contract with the Washington Nationals. He made 16 starts for Washington in 2025, compiling a 3–8 record and 4.87 ERA with 87 strikeouts across 81 and one-third innings. On July 30, 2025, the Nationals traded him to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz. With the Cubs, he made six appearances and recorded a 1.08 ERA with eight strikeouts across eight and one-third innings, offering a glimpse of his earlier form.
Arizona Diamondbacks Era (2025–Present)
On December 12, 2025, Soroka signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, signaling a fresh start in the National League West. The deal provides him an opportunity to reestablish himself in a competitive rotation and showcase the durability that defined his 2019 All-Star campaign. His career journey through Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, and now Arizona has been marked by both elite promise and hard-fought resilience.
Notable Events and Milestones
Soroka’s career is defined by both triumphs and adversity. His 2019 All-Star selection made him the youngest Atlanta Braves pitcher ever named to the Midsummer Classic, and he remains one of the youngest pitchers in National League history. The Achilles tears of 2020 and 2021 cost him nearly two full seasons, yet his 2023 comeback win against the Marlins and his strong 1.08 ERA stint with the Cubs in 2025 demonstrated his continued competitiveness at the major league level.
Michael Soroka Career Wins
Throughout his MLB career, Michael John Graydon Soroka has accumulated wins across multiple franchises, with his most productive stretch coming during the 2019 season with the Atlanta Braves. He has also recorded victories with the Braves in 2023, while his later stops with the Nationals and Cubs were defined more by innings and strikeouts than by win totals.
MLB Highlights
Soroka’s most memorable MLB win came on June 30, 2023, when he defeated the Miami Marlins, marking his first victory since September 19, 2019. Across his career, he has combined for double-digit wins in a single season only once, during his 2019 All-Star campaign. He has continued to log quality innings as both a starter and reliever in subsequent seasons.
Michael Soroka Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Michael Soroka was raised in Calgary, Alberta, by his father Gary, a former university and junior hockey player, and his mother Sally Soroka. He has two half-sisters. The loss of his mother to melanoma in 2010, when he was 12, was a defining event in his early life and upbringing.
Personal Life
Soroka, once commonly known as Mike Soroka, expressed his preference to be called Michael in 2023. He is a Canadian citizen who has built his professional life in the United States, and he remains connected to his roots in Calgary, Alberta.
2025 Season Performance
Michael John Graydon Soroka’s 2025 season was split between the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs. He opened the year in Washington’s rotation, making 16 starts and posting a 3–8 record with a 4.87 ERA and 87 strikeouts across 81 and one-third innings. Following a late-July trade, he moved to the Cubs, where he thrived in a relief role, recording a 1.08 ERA with eight strikeouts in just over eight innings.
The contrasting halves of 2025 showcased Soroka’s adaptability, even as his overall win-loss record did not fully reflect his late-season effectiveness. His December 2025 signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks positioned him for a bounce-back opportunity in a familiar division.
Looking ahead, Soroka’s outlook with the Diamondbacks centers on health and consistency, two factors that have shaped the arc of his career. With a competitive roster and a one-year deal, he has a clear path to reestablish himself as a frontline arm in the National League.