Jhonatan Solano

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Washington Nationals #30 prospect in 2013
  In 2005, Solano hitched a ride from his native Colombia to a baseball tryout in Venezuela in a van full of people and produce--a story that earned him the nickname "Onion" from teammates. The Nationals signed him out of that tryout, and they have valued his defense and leadership behind the plate for years. As his bat has become serviceable over the last two years, he has forced his way into the major league picture. When injuries struck Jesus Flores and Wilson Ramos, Washington called up Solano. He played in his first big league game May 29 at Miami, with his younger brother Donovan (who had debuted eight days earlier) in the opposite dugout. A heady player, Solano handles pitching staffs well. He is an outstanding blocker with solid catch-and-throw skills. When he stays under control in the batter's box, Solano can barrel line drives to the gaps, but he offers little power and won't hit enough to be an everyday player. The Nationals are loaded with big league catching options, so he figures to head back to Triple-A, just a call away from Washington should the need arise.