Ali Solis

ALI SOLIS
CATCHER
  Born: September 29, 1987
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 175
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: Int’l Free Agent, 2005 (Padres)
How Acquired: Waiver Claim (from Padres)
Country: Mexico
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

The Pirates claimed Solis off waivers from San Diego.  He appears to have been nothing more than an organizational catcher with them, playing sparingly until 2010 and only semi-regularly after that.  He never hit much until 2011 and, since he got past low A, his plate discipline has been very poor.  He must be extremely slow, as he’s attempted only three stolen bases in the minors.  He appears to be a good defensive player and has caught 34% of base stealers in his career.

2006
R:  250/333/339, 56 AB, 5 2B, 7 BB, 10 K

Solis played sparingly in his first year in rookie ball.  He threw out 42% of base stealers.

2007
R:  253/362/304, 79 AB, 4 2B, 11 BB, 21 K
A-:  200/200/800, 5 AB, 1 HR, 1 K

Solis returned to rookie ball and got a little more playing time.  He drew enough walks to have a good OBP but showed no power.

2008
A-:  323/432/484, 31 AB, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 7 K
A:  159/260/265, 113 AB, 6 2B, 2 HR, 14 BB, 40 K

Solis got into only 43 games, 35 of them in low A.  He drew some walks, but hit very little and struck out a lot.  He threw out 37% of base stealers.

2009
A:  208/278/500, 48 AB, 2 2B, 4 HR, 4 BB, 14 K
A+:  203/248/319, 138 AB, 4 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 7 BB, 37 K, 1-1 SB
AA:  148/179/148, 27 AB, 1 BB, 10 K 

Solis appears to have continued as a backup catcher, splitting time between three levels with the bulk of it at high A.  He didn’t hit at all, even in the California League, and what patience he had at the plate evaporated.  He threw out 43% of base stealers in high A.

2010
A+:  270/308/622, 37 AB, 1 2B, 4 HR, 2 BB, 10 K
AA:  111/158/111, 18 AB, 5 K
MEX:  382/411/618, 68 AB, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 4 BB, 12 K, 0-2 SB

Solis got into only 23 games in the Padres organization.  They loaned him to a Mexican League team and he played another 21 games there.

2011
AA:  263/308/396, 255 AB, 14 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 12 BB, 65 K
AAA:  211/231/263, 38 AB, 2 2B, 1 BB, 14 K

Solis spent most of the season in AA.  He played about half the time and finally started to show some progress with the bat, although his plate discipline remained very poor.

2012
AA:  283/307/419, 329 AB, 25 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 11 BB, 77 K, 1-2 SB
MLB:  000/000/000, 4 AB, 2 K

Back in AA as a semi-regular, Solis had his best season with the bat, although his BB:K ratio got even worse.  The Padres called him up in mid-September to serve as bench depth.  He caught only four innings.

2013
AA:  164/215/213, 61 AB, 3 2B, 3 BB, 17 K, 2-2 SB
AAA:  217/269/217, 23 AB, 2 BB, 4 K

Solis was one of several moves in the last couple years in which the Pirates have used waiver claims to try to obtain organizational catching depth on the cheap.  In 2011, they claimed Matt Pagnozzi, played him a little in the majors, then waived him.  They then claimed Brian Jeroloman, only to waive him three days later, then re-acquire him over a year later.  Not surprisingly, they outrighted Solis to AAA a little over a week after claiming him and he cleared waivers.  He was limited by back problems in spring training, but was in action by the time it ended.  He didn’t report anywhere until June, though, when he started serving as a seldom-used backup.  He made a brief appearance in AAA later in June, then again from late July through mid-August.

I’m not sure whether Solis played so seldom because he wasn’t fully healthy or because he just didn’t rank any higher on the depth chart.  If it’s the latter, you have to wonder why they claimed him off waivers.  In any event, he’ll be a free agent after the season.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Majors
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MLB.com
MiLB.com
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2013: Major league minimum
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2006
MLB Debut: 9/16/2012
MiLB FA Eligible: 2013
MLB FA Eligible: 2019
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-Man: September 4, 2012
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.030
TRANSACTIONS
February 16, 2005: Signed by the San Diego Padres as an international free agent.
September 4, 2012: Contract purchased by the San Diego Padres.
October 25, 2012: Claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
November 3, 2012:
Outrighted to AAA by the Pittsburgh Pirates.