Inside The Rangers' Prospect Watch: No. 4 Nick Solak

Inside The Rangers on SI continues our Prospect Watch preseason rankings with our #4 prospect Nick Solak.

4. Nick Solak | 2B

Born: January 11, 1995
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 5'11" Weight: 190 
Drafted: 2016, 2nd round (by NYY). University of Louisville. 
Team: Texas Rangers (MLB)
Other Team Rankings: Baseball America (4), MLB Pipeline (14)

Career Statistics

Player Bio

Nick Solak slashed .376/.470/.564 as a junior at the University of Louisville, earning his way to a second round selection and a $950,000 signing bonus from the Yankees in 2016. Before the start of the 2018 season, Solak was traded from New York to Tampa Bay in a deal that sent Brandon Drury to the Bronx. 

Texas acquired Solak from the Rays last season in exchange for Peter Fairbanks. Shortly afterward, Solak made a very successful Major League debut as a Ranger. He was voted the team's 2019 Rookie of the Year.

Strengths

Solak's biggest strength is his bat. He's a pure hitter with a short, clean stroke that is very repeatable. He has good bat-to-ball skills and controls the strike zone very well for a player of his age. He can spray the ball to all fields and has the power to hit the gaps in the outfield. 

He doesn't have eye-popping raw power, but his swing consistently generates very solid contact. He has proved he's no slouch in the power department, hitting a combined 32 home runs in 2019. He also possesses natural instincts at the plate, resulting in good decision-making and quality at-bats.

Solak is a good runner, which will aid his offensive game on the basepaths. He has the ability to play in the outfield, so his legs could also be an asset there defensively. 

Weaknesses

While Solak can play multiple positions, including experience at second base, third base, and any spot in the outfield, his defense is a work in progress. 

In the infield, he profiles more as a second baseman. His arm isn't reliable enough to play third base for an extended amount of time and is more suited for second base. To this point however, he's lacked fluid movement and solid footwork at second base, limiting his efficiency as a defender there. 

With his legs being a strength, outfield may be more suitable for him, but he lacks consistency there as well. Solak played left field for the Rays, but Willie Calhoun currently has that spot locked down for the Rangers.

Future

Solak is a good bet to make the Rangers' Opening Day roster. He impressed a lot of people last season, even in a small sample size. The Rangers want to find a place for his bat in Arlington.

The Rangers currently have roadblocks at second and third base, but Solak could push for playing time at second base if Rougned Odor struggles. Solak will also workout at center field and first base at spring training, giving him more opportunities to earn at-bats at other positions. If he can improve defensively, Solak has the capability of being a very solid Major League player.

Inside The Rangers Top 10 Preseason Prospect Rankings

10. 3B Sherten Apostel
9. SS Maximo Acosta
8. RF Bayron Lora
7. LHP Joe Palumbo
6. RHP Cole Winn
5. CF Leody Taveras
4. 2B Nick Solak

Each spot will be released daily.

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