New York Yankees

Under the Radar Yankees Prospects: Second Baseman Nick Solak

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Yanks Go Yard is combing through the New York Yankees minor league system in search of hidden gems in this ongoing series. Today, second baseman Nick Solak.

The New York Yankees first and second round selections in the 2016 amateur draft could not have been more different.

High school outfielder Blake Rutherford was seen as one of the most exciting talents in the draft. MLB.com ranked him as the eighth overall available talent and somehow he fell all the way to New York at number 16. Rutherford was everything a first rounder should be: a potential five tool superstar who destroyed the Appalachian League in his first taste of professional ball.

With their second round pick (62nd overall), the Yankees took second baseman Nick Solak, who was ranked only the 147th best prospect in the draft by MLB.com. It was seen by many as an overreach, since he was thought by many to be more of a fourth or fifth round talent. He signed for an only slightly below slot $950,000 (slot for his draft position was $1.04 million), so in retrospect taking Solak probably wasn’t designed to save bonus pool money.

Solak is the classic gritty “gamer” type of player whose results on the field are more impressive than their scouting report. He hit .376/.470/.564 with five home runs and 29 RBI in 206 plate appearances as a junior for Louisville.

A pure hitter with an advanced approach at the plate, Solak had no trouble adjusting to the professional ranks after joining the Yankees organization. He put up a .321/.412/.421 with three home runs and eight steals in 279 plate appearances for short season Staten Island in the New York-Penn League.

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Defensively, Solak is a work in progress. He didn’t move to second base until this year, spending the first two seasons of his college career at DH and corner outfield. As a bat-first prospect attempting to transition to the keystone, the comparisons to Rob Refsnyder are inevitable. He’s an above average runner, which gives him plus range for second base, but will need a few years at the position to become competent. Unfortunately, he doesn’t really have the arm strength to play anywhere else.

Solak hasn’t received much love from prospect evaluators because of his limited game, but like Refsnyder, Solak seems like he could be a solid starting second base option if given the chance. Assuming he can make himself playable in the field, Solak quick bat, on-base abilities, and plus speed would make him an intriguing addition to the Yankees lineup in the next few years.

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