Michal Sobotka

Michal Sobotka

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 7", Weight 176 lb.

• Born August 13, 1992 in Brno Czechoslovakia

Biographical Information

Michal Sobotka has pitched in the Czech Extraliga.

Sobotka debuted in 2008, hitting .233 for Draci Brno. He improved to .315 at age 16 in 2009 but was only 2 for 16 in 2010. In the 2010 World Junior Championship, Sobotka was 0-1 with 16 runs in 11 2/3 IP for the Czech entry, though his four appearances did tie for second in the event. In the 11th/12th place game, he allowed 5 runs in the final 3 1/3 IP to take the loss against France as the Czechs finished last. In 2011, he became a pitcher for Draci Brno and went 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA. During the 2012 European Cup, he gave up 5 hits and 2 runs (one earned) in four innings of work.

He was 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA in the 2012 Czech National League (a minor league), finishing second in ERA to future Reds signee Jakub Ižold and tying for the best winning percentage. He was 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in the European Under-21 Championship. In the Extraliga, he had a 4-2, 4.15 record then threw three shutout innings in the playoffs. He really impressed in the 2012 European Championship. Facing the Dutch national team, Europe's top power, he pitched 8 shutout innings and led 1-0 going into the 9th before he walked Quintin de Cuba and hit Wesley Connor. Marek Minařík relieved and was unable to close it out. Sobotka also dominated Sweden, with two runs in six innings (the second scored on an inherited runner after Leoš Kubát relieved). The youngster led the Czech staff in innings in those Euros and was arguably their top performer. In the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, he was not as sharp, giving up 3 runs in the first, two on a Max Kepler triple, then he blanked Germany for three but gave up 4 in the 5th while only retiring one. He led the Czechs in innings in that event as well, though. For the year, he won Talent of the Year, presumably an award for the best up-and-coming young Czech player.

The towering right-hander made it into the Draci Brno rotation for 2013, going 7-4 with a 4.28 ERA. He tied Martin Drong and Jason Daniels for third in the Extraliga in wins and was 8th with 48 whiffs. He was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in the postseason. In the 2013 European Cup, he allowed two runs in six to beat host CB Barcelona. He was 3-3 with a 5.09 ERA for Draci Brno in 2014 and had no decisions and a 5.25 ERA in the postseason. In the 2014 European Cup, he blanked the Templiers Senart for four frames but allowed two hits and four walks before Jeremy Filipek relieved.

During 2015, he improved to 7-1, 3.88, tying for third in the Extraliga in wins. He was 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA as the top Draci Brno hurler in the postseason but their run of three straight titles came to an end. He was 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in the 2015 European Cup, losing to Curaçao Neptunus. In the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in March 2016, he was on the Czech squad but did not get into a game.

Sources

• CEB
• Czech Baseball Federation
• Draci Brno roster
• 2010 World Junior Championship