Nick

Solak

The textbook definition of a modern-era journeyman, Solak gets the call to join San Diego’s bench mix with Miguel Andjuar hitting the injured list with a hamstring strain. The 31-year-old offers plenty of defensive versatility, but he’s appeared in just 41 games between three different organizations at the big-league level since 2022.

There’s nothing unexpected here, but Schnell did make a sneaky run at the bench spot that’s probably going to Bryce Johnson. McKenzie was a mess in camp, but he was a mess throwing about three mph harder than he did in his one really good year with Cleveland. If he finds some command in the minors, he might prove helpful at some point.

One of the highest profile minor league free agents this offseason, Solak winds up in San Diego where he represents a break glass in case of emergency bench option. The versatile 30-year-old got into four games for the Pirates last season, going 1-for-11 at the dish, after tearing the cover off the ball at the Triple-A level with a robust .332/.411/.492 slash line with 14 homers and 10 steals in 482 plate appearances across 111 games. The former top prospect will compete for a bench role in spring training but appears ticketed for Triple-A El Paso at the end of camp.

Solak returns to Pittsburgh’s organization after a quick stint with the club back in late May where he went 1-for-11 across four games. The 30-year-old will remain stationed at Triple-A Indianapolis to wait for another chance in the big leagues.

Solak will search for a new opportunity on the open market instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis. The versatile 30-year-old former second-round pick has achieved journeyman status in recent years. His stint with the Pirates lasted just four games where he went 1-for-11 at the plate.

The Pirates waived Solak after Sunday’s game without reporting it. The journeyman started three out of his first four games with the club after being promoted on May 16, but he went just 1-for-10 and had seen the field only once in two weeks since.

The versatile 30-year-old was absolutely crushing it at Triple-A Indianapolis, slashing .393/.452/.625 with six homers, 19 RBI and four stolen bases in his first 126 plate appearances. With production like that, it’s no surprise that the Bucs would want to give him an opportunity. Ji Hwan Bae was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Remember him? Solak is now 30 years old and crushing it at Triple-A in the Pirates’ organization, slashing .391/.431/.630 in 12 games with three home runs, 11 RBI, and three steals. Solak is also a .252 career MLB hitter in 865 at-bats, so there is a chance he gets an opportunity this season given the lack of depth in the Pirates’ lineup at the big league level.

No surprises here as Pittsburgh pares down its spring roster to just 42 players. The decision to jettison Delay leaves some combination of Joey Bart, Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez as the likely season-opening catching mix behind the plate.

He’s 5-for-9 with a steal this spring. Solak, 30, got into one game for the Braves and one game for the Tigers in 2023, which is still better than the zero he got into last year. He wound up hitting .311/.406/.446 in 90 games for the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate in 2024. Given that he’s a full-time outfielder these days, what slim chance he might have had of making the Pirates probably vanished with the Tommy Pham signing.