Pirates Send Utilityman to Minors

Solak played exceptionally with Indianapolis earlier on this season, slashing .393/.452/.625 for an OPS of 1.077 in 32 games, with 44 hits in 112 at-bats, six doubles, one triple, six home runs, 19 RBIs and 12 walks to 17 strikeouts.

He led the International League in batting average while ranking second in on-base percentage, third in OPS, fourth in slugging percentage and seventh in hits.

The Pirates selected Solak's contract on May 16, optioning outfielder Ji Hwan Bae to Indianapolis and designating outfielder Michael Hellman for assignment, making room on the 40-man roster for Solak.

Solak started at first base on May 16 and in left field on May 17 vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, first base on May 19 vs. the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park and then came in as a pinch-hitter vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 28.

He had just one hit in 11 at-bats, coming in his first start, with two strikeouts and no walks during his time with the Pirates.

Solak hails from Woodbridge, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, and was born on Jan. 11, 1995. He would play for Naperville North High School in Naperville, Ill., batting .442 as a junior in 2012 and .340 as a senior in 2013.

The Pirates sent him a questionnaire prior to the 2013 MLB Draft, but Solak would go on and play for Louisville.

He slashed .376/.470/.564 as a junior in 2016 with Louisville, earning Second Team All-American honors.

The New York Yankees took Solak in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft and Solak would sign for $950,000.

He made it up to Double-A in 2017, but the Yankees traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays on Feb. 18, 2018.

Solak then made it up to Triple-A in 2019, but the Rays traded him to the Texas Rangers for pitcher Pete Fairbanks. He would make his MLB debut on Aug. 20 and he played in 33 games for the Rangers, slashing .293/.393/.491 for an OPS of .884, with 34 hits, six doubles, a triple, five home runs, 17 RBIs and 15 walks to 29 strikeouts.

He played 58 of the 60 games in the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020 season for Texas, slashing .268/.326/.344 for an OPS of .670, with 56 hits, 10 doubles, two home runs, 23 RBIs and 18 walks to 42 strikeouts.

Solak played 127 games for the Rangers, mostly at second base, spending a month with Triple-A Round Rock after the Rangers optioned him there. He slashed .242/.314/.362 for an OPS of .676 with 111 hits, 18 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 49 RBIs and 34 walks to 107 strikeouts.

He played 35 games for Texas in 2022, before they optioned him to Round Rock on May 19, where he spent the rest of the season.

The Rangers traded Solak to the Reds for cash considerations on Nov. 10. The Reds then traded Solak to the Seattle Mariners on March 31, 2023, after they designated him for assignment the day prior.

Seattle would designated Solak for assignment on April 10, after he had just one hit in 13 at-bats for Triple-A Tacoma.

The Chicago White Sox claimed him off waivers on April 14, sent him to Triple-A Charlotte, then designated him for assignment on April 18. The Atlanta Braves claimed him off waivers, where he appeared in one MLB game, before they designated him for assignment on June 6.

The Detroit Tigers claimed Solak off waivers on June 9 and appeared in one game, while spending most of his time with Triple-A Toledo.

Solak signed a minor league contract with the Mariners on Jan. 30, 2024, playing with Tacoma, slashing .311/.406/.446 for an OPS of .852, with 92 hits, 13 doubles, nine home runs, 53 RBIs and 41 walks to 53 strikeouts.

He elected free agency on Nov. 4 and signed a minor league contract with the Pirates on Dec. 6.