Quick Facts
Biography
Miguel Ángel Socolovich (born July 24, 1986) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Professional playing career
Boston Red Sox organization
Miguel Socolovich signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent in 2004, but did not join the organization until 2006. He spent the rest of the season playing for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. Socolovich moved up to Single-A the following year, playing for the Lowell Spinners and later the Greenville Drive.
Chicago White Sox organization
On January 28, 2008, the Red Sox traded Socolovich and fellow pitching prospect Willy Mota to the Chicago White Sox for David Aardsma. Socolovich spent the next four seasons playing in the White Sox organization, taking the field for the Single-A Kannapolis Intimidators and Winston-Salem Dash, Double-A Birmingham Barons, and the Triple-A Charlotte Knights during that time.
Baltimore Orioles organization
Socolo became a free agent and on January 30, 2012, he signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.
Major League debut (2012)
He began the 2012 season playing in Triple-A with the Norfolk Tides before earning his first call-up to the major leagues on July 14, 2012. At the time of his call-up, he had a 1.95 earned run average (ERA) in 24 games with Norfolk. He made six appearances with the Orioles before being designated for assignment on August 14. He recorded a 6.97 ERA in 10 1⁄3 innings during his time in Baltimore. With Norfolk that year, he held a 4−0 win−loss record (W−L) with a 1.90 ERA in 28 appearances and 52 innings pitched (IP), striking out 52 and walking 14 while holding opponents to a .179 batting average against.
Chicago Cubs organization
On August 23, 2012, Socolovich was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs, who optioned him to the Iowa Cubs, their Triple-A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League (PCL).
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
On November 15, 2012, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball agreed to terms with Socolovich to bring him to Japan.
New York Mets organization
On November 21, 2013, Socolovich signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets.
St. Louis Cardinals organization
He joined the St. Louis Cardinals organization on November 12, 2014, who optioned him to the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds of the PCL. He began the season with a 12 1⁄3-inning scoreless streak. During that streak, he walked eight, struck out nine, and allowed five hits in fourteen at bats.
The Cardinals called Socolovich up for the first time in 2015 on April 30. He earned his first major league victory on May 3, 2015, after pitching a scoreless 14th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He earned his second victory the following night, against the Chicago Cubs, who would finish two games and three games, respectively, behind first-place St. Louis in the National League Central division. The Cardinals optioned him back to Memphis, where he posted a 2.48 ERA and an .165 opponent average and 0.92 WHIP in 32 2⁄3 IP for the season, and recalled him September 2. At the major league level in 2015, he finished with a 1.82 ERA and 4−1 record.
Beginning the 2016 season at Memphis, Socolovich authored an 11-inning scoreless streak over nine appearances through June 21. The Cardinals recalled him to St. Louis on July 19 after third baseman Jhonny Peralta went on the disabled list. At Memphis, Socolovich was 2−5 with a 2.79 ERA in 35 games, inducing 40 strikeouts in 38 2⁄3 IP.
