It took nearly 370 professional innings – and a mid-season rehab assignment from Major League Baseball down to Single-A – for it to finally happen.



Mike Soroka faced a batter who was actually younger than him.



That says something about the Calgary pitcher’s meteoric rise. Brisk, right from the start.



Before Soroka turned 18, before he sat down to write his Grade 12 final exams at Bishop Carroll High School, he had been plucked in the MLB draft. The Atlanta Braves – picking 28th overall (one slot ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays) – made him one happy kid and a millionaire in the process.



Soroka has been well worth the investment:



2015 – Baseball America rookie all-star



2016 – South Atlantic (A) League all-star



2017 – Southern (AA) League all-star



2018 – Major League Baseball’s youngest starter



Bonus – Inspires parody of My...