Jose Soriano

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #18 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Soriano weighed 170 pounds when he signed with the Angels for $70,000 in 2016. He grew to a muscular 210 pounds by the time of his breakout season at low Class A Burlington in 2019. He entered 2020 looking to build on that momentum but suffered an elbow injury and had season-ending Tommy John surgery just before the start of spring training. The Pirates drafted Soriano with the No. 1 pick in the major league phase of the 2020 Rule 5 draft.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soriano has an ideal pitcher's body at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. He is athletic with long, loose limbs and a smooth, rhythmic delivery that is easy to repeat. After previously sitting in the low 90s, Soriano's fastball averaged 96 mph and touched 100 in 2019 as he grew into his newfound strength. He has an advanced feel for a high-spin, low-80s curveball with 11-to-5 shape and solid depth. His upper-80s changeup shows swing-and-miss potential but is too firm at times. Soriano has struggled with walks, but he has improved his control as he's grown into his body and sharpened the timing and mechanics of his delivery.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soriano is set to return during the 2021 season. If his stuff and control comes back, he has a chance to develop into a hard-throwing starting pitcher. The rebuilding Pirates should have the roster space and patience to carry Soriano all season to satisfy the Rule 5 requirements.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #7 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Soriano weighed about 170 pounds when he signed for $70,000 in 2016, but he gradually added weight and now looks more like an NFL wide receiver than a marathon runner. With added size and strength has come increased velocity and durability. After struggling at low Class A Burlington in 2018, Soriano repeated the level in 2019 and dominated. Expected to take another step in 2020, Soriano instead had Tommy John surgery prior to spring training and will miss the entire season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soriano has the perfect pitcher's body: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, athletic with long and loose limbs. He has an easy, rhythmic delivery that is repeatable and does not put much stress on his arm. After previously sitting in the low 90s, Soriano averaged 96 mph on his four-seam fastball and touched 100 in 2019. He backs up his heater with a plus, high-spin curveball with 11-to-5 shape and low-80s velocity. His firm changeup sits around 90 mph but still has enough separation to get swings and misses. Soriano currently struggles with walks, but evaluators believe he will have average control in time as he grows into his still-developing body.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soriano will be out until 2021, but he will still be only 22 when he returns. As he continues to mature physically and improve the timing and mechanics of his delivery, he has a chance to develop into a hard-throwing, mid-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #10 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Angels signed Soriano for just $70,000 in 2016 and quickly watched him grow into one of their top pitching prospects. After starring at the Rookie levels, Soriano began 2018 in extended spring training before reporting to low Class A Burlington in June, where he held opponents to a .217 average and one homer in 14 starts. He also struggled with his control, recording 35 walks and 42 strikeouts in 46.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: As Soriano adds strength to his wiry frame and more consistency to his delivery, there is still room for projection on a fastball that sits 94-96 mph. Though the pitch doesn't have a ton of movement, it has late life and induces a fair amount of ground balls. Soriano has always flashed a plus low-80s curveball, and he is developing a mid-80s changeup he grew more confident in last season. Soriano grew about three inches after signing and is still figuring out his newly long limbs. As he adds muscle and strength, he should improve the timing and mechanics of his delivery.
  
  The Future: Soriano has a chance to grow into a hard-throwing starter as he matures. He'll move to high Class A Inland Empire in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #14 prospect in 2018
  It's easy to dream on the arm of Soriano, whose fastball at age 18 sat in the low-90s and touched 96 mph in 2017 pitching at the Rookie levels. Though the pitch doesn't have a ton of movement, it has a little bit of late life. Soriano, who signed for $70,000, grew about three inches from 2016 to 2017, though he didn't add a lot of weight. It's not a leap to think that, with added size, strength and maturity, Soriano's fastball will hit 100 mph in a few years. He has an advanced feel for his curveball, which he throws between 80-85 mph, and has shown decent arm action and some feel for a mid-80s changeup, which is a developing pitch. Soriano has shown a good feel for pitching, but like most young, raw pitchers, he has struggled to gain consistency–he went 2-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 13 games in the AZL and Orem, but with his stuff, he should have struck out more than 39 batters in 52.1 innings. Soriano had issues timing his delivery in 2016, but was more mechanically sound and more polished in 2017. Another leap of improvement could send him to low Class A Burlington in 2018.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #18 prospect in 2017
  Soriano was barely 6 feet tall when he first came to the U.S. for instructional league in 2016, bringing a fastball that occasionally touched 90 mph. The native Dominican grew three inches over the winter and added 4-6 mph to his fastball to become the most intriguing young arm among the Angels stable of projectable Latin hurlers. Soriano's development in 2017 wasn't linear. He often struggled with his command from one inning to the next, but the lanky righthander continued getting stronger and more mechanically sound and finished the season on a high note with nine scoreless innings over his last two outings. Soriano's heater sits in the low 90s but touched as high as 96 mph, and his lean body indicates there may be more velocity to come with added strength. He delivers from a three-quarters delivery with a loose arm, easy arm strength and good arm action, getting downhill plane and life. Soriano's main secondary is a promising slider in the low to mid-80s, and he recently started throwing a mid-80s changeup that could be an average pitch.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Soriano weighed 170 pounds when he signed with the Angels for $70,000 in 2016. He grew to a muscular 210 pounds by the time of his breakout season at low Class A Burlington in 2019. He entered 2020 looking to build on that momentum but suffered an elbow injury and had season-ending Tommy John surgery just before the start of spring training. The Pirates drafted Soriano with the No. 1 pick in the major league phase of the 2020 Rule 5 draft.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soriano has an ideal pitcher's body at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. He is athletic with long, loose limbs and a smooth, rhythmic delivery that is easy to repeat. After previously sitting in the low 90s, Soriano's fastball averaged 96 mph and touched 100 in 2019 as he grew into his newfound strength. He has an advanced feel for a high-spin, low-80s curveball with 11-to-5 shape and solid depth. His upper-80s changeup shows swing-and-miss potential but is too firm at times. Soriano has struggled with walks, but he has improved his control as he's grown into his body and sharpened the timing and mechanics of his delivery.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soriano is set to return during the 2021 season. If his stuff and control comes back, he has a chance to develop into a hard-throwing starting pitcher. The rebuilding Pirates should have the roster space and patience to carry Soriano all season to satisfy the Rule 5 requirements.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Soriano weighed 170 pounds when he signed with the Angels for $70,000 in 2016. He grew to a muscular 210 pounds by the time of his breakout season at low Class A Burlington in 2019. He entered 2020 looking to build on that momentum but suffered an elbow injury and had season-ending Tommy John surgery just before the start of spring training. The Pirates drafted Soriano with the No. 1 pick in the major league phase of the 2020 Rule 5 draft.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soriano has an ideal pitcher's body at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. He is athletic with long, loose limbs and a smooth, rhythmic delivery that is easy to repeat. After previously sitting in the low 90s, Soriano's fastball averaged 96 mph and touched 100 in 2019 as he grew into his newfound strength. He has an advanced feel for a high-spin, low-80s curveball with 11-to-5 shape and solid depth. His upper-80s changeup shows swing-and-miss potential but is too firm at times. Soriano has struggled with walks, but he has improved his control as he's grown into his body and sharpened the timing and mechanics of his delivery.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soriano is set to return during the 2021 season. If his stuff and control comes back, he has a chance to develop into a hard-throwing starting pitcher. The rebuilding Pirates should have the roster space and patience to carry Soriano all season to satisfy the Rule 5 requirements.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Soriano weighed about 170 pounds when he signed for $70,000 in 2016, but he gradually added weight and now looks more like an NFL wide receiver than a marathon runner. With added size and strength has come increased velocity and durability. After struggling at low Class A Burlington in 2018, Soriano repeated the level in 2019 and dominated.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soriano has the perfect pitcher’s body: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, athletic with long and loose limbs. He has an easy, rhythmic delivery that is repeatable and does not put much stress on his arm. After previously sitting in the low 90s, Soriano averaged 96 mph on his four-seam fastball and touched 100 in 2019. He backs up his heater with a plus, high-spin curveball with 11-to-5 shape and low-80s velocity. His firm changeup sits around 90 mph but still has enough separation to get swings and misses. Soriano currently struggles with walks, but evaluators believe he will have average control in time as he grows into his still-developing body.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soriano will begin 2020 at high Class A Inland Empire. As he continues to mature physically and improve the timing and mechanics of his delivery, he has a chance to develop into a hardthrowing, mid-rotation starter.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Soriano weighed about 170 pounds when he signed for $70,000 in 2016, but he gradually added weight and now looks more like an NFL wide receiver than a marathon runner. With added size and strength has come increased velocity and durability. After struggling at low Class A Burlington in 2018, Soriano repeated the level in 2019 and dominated. Expected to take another step in 2020, Soriano instead had Tommy John surgery prior to spring training and will miss the entire season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soriano has the perfect pitcher's body: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, athletic with long and loose limbs. He has an easy, rhythmic delivery that is repeatable and does not put much stress on his arm. After previously sitting in the low 90s, Soriano averaged 96 mph on his four-seam fastball and touched 100 in 2019. He backs up his heater with a plus, high-spin curveball with 11-to-5 shape and low-80s velocity. His firm changeup sits around 90 mph but still has enough separation to get swings and misses. Soriano currently struggles with walks, but evaluators believe he will have average control in time as he grows into his still-developing body.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soriano will be out until 2021, but he will still be only 22 when he returns. As he continues to mature physically and improve the timing and mechanics of his delivery, he has a chance to develop into a hard-throwing, mid-rotation starter.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  The results haven’t been there in Soriano’s first try at full-season ball (0-4, 7.64 in seven starts), but Soriano still shows tantalizing ingredients. He is averaging 94-95 mph on a heavy fastball that induces a lot of ground balls, and he should gain velocity as he adds size and strength to his 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame. Soriano has always flashed a plus curveball, but he is gaining confidence in an improved changeup that he’s using more in games.