Former Top Prospect Placed On Waivers For Second Time This Month

To the waiver wire yet again.

The Seattle Mariners have designated Nick Solak for assignment, marking the second time for him in less than a month.

Solak was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds before the start of the current season but struggled during his time with the Triple-A Tacoma team, recording just one hit in his first 13 at-bats. He has yet to appear in a game with the Mariners.

A few Mariners roster moves today:

Selected RHP José Rodriguez from Triple-A Tacoma

Optioned RHP JB Bukauskas to Tacoma

DFA'd Nick Solak

— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) April 10, 2023

In the span of a few months, Solak has been traded from the Texas Rangers to the Reds, DFA'd by the Reds, traded to the Mariners, and now DFA'd by the Mariners. 

The decision to DFA Solak was likely influenced by his poor performance, as he had a .077 batting average, .294 on-base percentage, and .077 slugging percentage through his first 17 plate appearances, with no home runs and just one RBI.

Despite this setback, Solak is expected to clear waivers and remain with the Mariners as a depth option.

The 28-year-old former top prospect has not been able to live up to the hype in the majors since his rookie season in 2019 when he slashed .293/.393/.491, with five home runs, 17 RBIs, two stolen bases and 19 runs scored across his first 33 games. 

Since his rookie season, Solak has managed an underwhelming .246/.317/.354 triple-slash line, 16 home runs, 76 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, and 98 runs scored over 220 games and three seasons.

Solak is still an intriguing option for teams, with his ability to play multiple positions and former top prospect status.

Photo Credit:  Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK