March 4, 2016: Soriano signed with the Angels as a free agent, out of the D.R., via scouts Domingo Garcia and Alfredo Ulloa, for $70,000. 

Jose grew about three inches after signing.

In 2018, the Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Jose as the 14th best prospect in the Angels organization. He was at #10 in the winter before 2019 spring training. He moved up to #7 in the spring of 2020.

In the spring of 2021, he was the Pirates' 15th-best prospect.

Aug 20-22, 2025: Jose was on the paternity list.

Aug 23-24, 2024:  Jose was on the restricted list.

 Aug. 26, 2025:  José Soriano showed no ill effects of what had been a hectic week.

Soriano did not allow a run in the Angels’ 4-0 victory over the Rangers on a Monday night, despite flights to and from the Dominican Republic for the birth of his son.

TRANSACTIONS

March 4, 2016: Soriano signed with the Angels as a free agent, out of the D.R., via scouts Domingo Garcia and Alfredo Ulloa, for $70,000. 

Dec 10, 2020: The Pirates claimed Jose in the Rule 5 Draft out of the Angels organization.

Nov 14, 2021: The Pirates returned Soriano to the Angels after the 2021 season.

Soriano has a 94-100 mph FASTBALL with a 70 grade on it. Jose also has an advanced feel for his 83-85 mph CURVEBALL with high spin and 11-to-5 shape, with a 60 grade. He has good feel for his 89-90 mph CHANGEUP with a 50 grade, but it is too firm at times. If Soriano continues to develop his hard-breaking, 89 mph slider that he hasn’t thrown much in games, he could stick in the rotation. But his fastball/curveball combination could be a better fit in the bullpen.

“You’re protecting a big arm,” Angels minor league pitching coordinator Buddy Carlyle said. “With that kind of fastball and breaking ball and feel, people aren’t scared to move guys up through the system. If somebody is throwing strikes with that kind of stuff, a callup could be any time.

"Stuff plays in the big leagues. If you have stuff and can command it, you’re going to give yourself (a) pretty good chance.”

Jose has an ideal pitcher's frame at 6-3, 210 pounds. He is athletic, with long, loose limbs and a smooth, rhythmic delivery that is easy to repeat. He has improved his control as he's grown into his body and sharpened the timing and mechanics of his delivery. He may develop into a hard-throwing starting pitcher. (Mike DiGiovanna - Jan., 2023)

When healthy, the 6-foot-3 right-hander kept adding velocity as he physically matured. His fastball touched triple digits at times. He can really spin his breaking ball and it continued to get more consistent, with a chance for it to be plus in time. He committed to throwing his changeup more in 2018 and his feel for the pitch continued to improve.

Soriano has a very athletic delivery, giving hope he’ll eventually get to average command and control. His walk rate did improve in 2019, but he’s still given up 5.1 free passes per nine innings in his career. For a guy who has yet to top 100 innings in a season, Soriano needs reps more than anything else, something he won’t be able to get now until 2021. (Spring 2020)

Soriano currently struggles with walks, grading 45 for his control, but evaluators believe he will have average control in time as he grows into his still-developing body. 

Jose 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. (Spring, 2020)

Jose has displayed a solid feel for pitching. But like most young pitchers, is struggling to gain consistency. He was more mechanically sound in his delivery in 2017 and 2018.

As he adds muscle and strength, he should improve the timing and mechanics of his delivery. (Spring, 2019)

Dec 10, 2020: Soriano’s stock was trending up in 2019 after he posted a 2.51 ERA with 92 strikeouts and 51 walks in 82 innings over 20 games, including 18 starts, between Class A Burlington and the Angels’ Rookie-level Arizona League team. Soriano likely won’t be ready to start next season on the Major League roster, which will give him time to work with the training staff and pitching coaches as he finishes the rehab process. 

2020-22 Seasons: He was picked by the Pirates first overall in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. He was there because he underwent Tommy John Surgery. He underwent another surgery in 2021, leaving him out for most of the 2022 season as well.

In the 2021 offseason, Soriano was Designated for Assignment by the Pirates and was returned to the Angels. He appeared in seven games for two teams in the Angels system at the end of the 2022 season. He allowed three runs in 13 innings with 17 strikeouts.

2023 Season: Jose entered the season with a lot to prove. Injuries had derailed his development from at one point being an interesting Angels prospect to a player who was unprotected and picked in the Rule 5 Draft by the Pirates. Soriano wound up finding his way back to the Angels organization after the Pirates DFA'd him, but he was limited to just two minor league appearances in 2021 and seven in 2022.

Despite not pitching much at all in the minors in recent years, the Angels made the decision to protect him this time around from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft by adding him onto their 40-man roster in the 2022 offseason. After watching the year he just had, it's easy to see why.

Soriano had an uneven performance in AA Rocket City but with the Angels bullpen needing a lot of help, they turned to the hard-throwing righty to see if he can help sure things up. By giving Soriano a chance, the Angels found a guy who is going to be a key reliever for this team for a very long time.

Jose Soriano was called up for the first time in early June and immediately became a key reliever. He recorded holds in six straight appearances after his MLB debut and didn't allow a run through his first seven big league innings. He had his ups and downs after that, but Soriano showed flashes of a guy who can be dominant for the Angels.

The 24-year-old showcased a sinker that sat in the mid-upper 90's, and a curveball that was simply unhittable. Opponents hit .177 against that pitch which he threw 41.2% of the time, and had a .164 xBA against it. In other words, they were lucky to have a .177 batting average against his curveball. He allowed just one home run against that pitch and had a 47.1% whiff rate with it. Just nasty stuff.

Overall, the right-hander had a 3.64 ERA in 38 appearances and 42 innings pitched. He struck out 56 batters which was well above average, but command did fail him at times as he issued 23 free passes. While walks did get into trouble, Soriano often did well to limit damage.

Soriano ended the season as the Angels primary set-up man for Carlos Estevez, and could easily open next season in the same role. He has the stuff to be a lockdown late-game reliever, and if he can get his command straightened out a bit better, a future as the team's closer can't be ruled out. The Angels got everything they could've hoped for out of Soriano in his rookie year. And they have to be excited about his future. (Zachary Rotman | Oct 16, 2023)

2024 Season: Soriano just recently became a starter, and now he is the Angels' best. Converted from a reliever to a starter, Soriano took the league by storm.

How did he do so? He throws turbo sinkers and generates a ton of ground balls. Soriano's fastball (he predominantly throws sinkers, but he does mix in some four-seams) and his ground ball percentages both rank in the 97th percentile of MLB. His sinker averages 97.7mph and he generates ground balls 60.1% of the time (59.7% according to FanGraphs). Soriano is basically the starting pitcher version of Ben Joyce.

Expectations are high for Soriano given what he showed Angels fans and coaches last season. Tyler Anderson posted the better year-long stats, but Soriano was the most efficient Angels pitcher in 2024. Soriano eclipsed Anderson in the following stats, although he did pitch 66 fewer innings: fWAR, K/9, BB/9, HR/9, GB%, xERA, FIP, and xFIP. Of all pitchers who threw at least 100 innings in 2024, Soriano's 0.64 HR/9 ranked 9th. His ground ball percentage ranked 3rd.

His teammates speak highly of him too. “He’s a fun one to work with because I feel like he’s wise beyond his years,” said his catcher, Logan O’Hoppe. “He keeps his composure always. His stuff is obviously what it is. It’s some of the best I’ve seen.” Those are certainly the qualities you want in an ace.

Soriano was shut down with arm fatigue, given the far increased workload, and there are definitely injury risks attached to the soon-to-be 26-year-old as he continues to develop in the rotation. Soriano had Tommy John surgeries in back-to-back years. Two Tommy John surgeries is as big of a red flag as anything when it pertains to a pitcher's durability. Add in his 97.7mph average and you have a recipe for another arm injury in the not-so-distant future.

Soriano will be leaned on heavily. As the Angels roster is currently constructed, he will either be the Angels' Opening Day starter or toe the rubber in the second game of 2025. He's that important to the present and future. The Angels will be active this winter, and a starting pitcher addition via free agency is highly likely. Perhaps a reclamation project like Walker Buehler?

The Angels, more so than many other teams, run through starting pitchers. Including a couple bullpen days where the Angels started Joyce and Brock Burke, the Angels started 18 pitchers last year. They need Soriano healthy and available. In order to compete, like their manager, GM, and owner say they will, they need Soriano to pitch like a bona fide ace. (Evan Roberts - Oct. 14, 2024)

Soriano was one of the best pitchers on the Angels all season long. He ranked in the 100th percentile for ground ball rate, and his fastball was among the best in the league, ranking in the 90th percentile at an average of 97.3 mph.

The righty posted a 4.26 ERA on the season, pitching 169 innings for Los Angeles. His FIP of 3.73 indicates that he was the recipient of some bad luck.

This season, he was valued at 3.0 WAR, even though his 8.09 strikeouts per nine innings suggest that he doesn't have elite stuff.

Soriano's season ended early due to a contusion that landed him on the injured list in mid-September. After the injury news came through, former Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery gave encouraging words on Soriano's season.

“I said, ‘Hey, you have everything to be proud of,’” Montgomery said.

“And now he knows what it’s like to make 31 starts in the big leagues." (Nelson Espinal - Oct. 16, 2025 - SI)

Feb-end of 2020 season: Soriano underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season.

Feb 17, 2021: Soriano went on the 60-day IL.

June 15-Nov 6, 2021: Soriano underwent his second Tommy John surgery and missed the 2021 season. 

June 17-July 2, 2024: Jose was on the IL.

Aug 17-Nov 4, 2024: Soriano was placed on the IL with right arm fatigue after allowing two runs over 3 1/3 innings. He said it's not a serious injury and he believes he'll be back this season. The Angels are monitoring his workload because he's thrown 113 innings this year after throwing a combined 65 frames between the Minors and Majors.