Donovan Solano

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Solano and the second or maternal family name is Preciado.

Donovan Solano
Solano with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022
Seattle Mariners – No. 39
Infielder
Born: (1987-12-17) December 17, 1987 (age 37)
Barranquilla, Colombia
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 21, 2012, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.279
Home runs40
Runs batted in279
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Donovan Solano Preciado, nicknamed "Donnie Barrels",[1][2][3] (born December 17, 1987) is a Colombian professional baseball infielder for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, and San Diego Padres. Solano won the Silver Slugger Award in 2020.

Early life

Solano was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia.[4] He grew up playing baseball with his older brother, Jhonatan Solano.[2]

Professional career

St. Louis Cardinals

Solano with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010 spring training

Solano signed as an international free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals in January 2005[5] after performing well at a workout attended by then-Cardinals scouting director Jeff Luhnow.[2] In 2008, Solano was a mid-season Florida State League All Star with the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals.[5] He spent seven seasons in the Cardinals organization as a backup infielder but never made it to the major leagues with them.[6] He advanced as high as Triple-A, playing for the Memphis Redbirds in 2009, 2010, and 2011.[7] He became a free agent on November 2, 2011.[5]

Miami Marlins

Solano signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins on November 11, 2011 and was a non-roster invitee to 2012 spring training.[5] Solano competed for a reserve infielder role with the Marlins, ultimately won by Donnie Murphy. Solano was assigned to the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs.[6] He received his first promotion to MLB by the Marlins on May 20, 2012, becoming the 12th Colombian-born player to reach the major leagues.[5][2] On May 22, he singled in his first career at-bat, a pinch-hit single in the 7th inning.[8] Solano started his first MLB game on May 26. He went 2-for-4 against the San Francisco Giants with two hits and a run batted in (RBI).[9]

After the Marlins traded away infielders Hanley Ramírez and Omar Infante, in July, Solano competed with Donnie Murphy and Greg Dobbs for playing time at third base, as Emilio Bonifacio took over second base .[10] After Bonifacio injured his knee, Solano took over second while Murphy, Dobbs, and Gil Velazquez competed to be the starting third baseman. Solano finished the season batting .295/.342/.375 in 285 at bats with two home runs, 11 doubles, 3 triples, 28 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases.[8] He was named the second baseman on Baseball America's Major League All Rookie Team.[5][11]

The Marlins placed Solano on the disabled list on May 7, 2013, retroactive to May 4, with a strained left intercostal muscle. He returned and played in 102 games, batting .249/.305/.316. He was named the Marlins' Defensive Player of the Year by Wilson after playing primarily second base.[5][12]

In 2014, he appeared in 111 games for the Marlins, batting .252/.300/.323. In 2015, his last year with Miami, he appeared in only 55 games, splitting time between shortstop, third base, and second base, with a dismal .189 batting average.[12] He became a free agent on October 17.[5]

New York Yankees

On January 9, 2016, the New York Yankees signed Solano to a minor league contract.[13] He spent the 2016 season with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, with whom he was a postseason All-Star after batting .319 (eighth in the International League)/.349/.436 with 33 doubles (tied for third in the league), 7 home runs, 7 sacrifice flies (leading the league), and 67 RBI (tied for fourth) in 546 plate appearances.[14] The Yankees promoted him on September 18, following an injury to Starlin Castro. In 23 plate appearances, he hit .227/.261/.455.[5][15] The Yankees outrighted him to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the regular season.[16]

Solano spent the entire 2017 season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting .282/.329/.391 with 44 runs, 29 doubles (tied for 9th in the league), four home runs, and 48 RBI in 405 plate appearances.[7] He batted .330 with runners in scoring position. He became a free agent on November 6.[5][17] Following the season, he played for Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League, hitting .371/.400/.468 in 62 at bats.[5]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On January 19, 2018, Solano signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played in 81 games for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers of the Pacific Coast League, batting .318./.353/.430 in 340 plate appearances.[18] A hamstring injury cost him playing time in 2018.[2] Solano became a free agent following the season on November 2.[19]

San Francisco Giants

Solano with the San Francisco Giants in 2021

On December 18, 2018, Solano signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants.[20] He started the 2019 season with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, batting .322/.392/.437 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 24 games.[21][22] The Giants selected his contract on May 7, his first time in MLB since the end of the 2016 season. With the Giants in 2019, he batted .330/.360/.456 with 27 runs, four home runs, and 23 RBIs in 215 at-bats. He hit line drives on 33.9 percent of batted balls, the highest of any MLB batter with at least 60 plate appearances.[23] He also hit .402 on the road, the first time a batter topped .400 since Ichiro Suzuki in 2004.[2] He played primarily second base, getting regular appearances as a pinch hitter and shortstop, with a few games at third base and designated hitter.[24][25] On December 2, he and the Giants agreed to a one-year, $1.375 million contract, avoiding arbitration.[26][27]

Solano had a breakout year in the shortened 2020 season. After making an out in his only at bat on Opening Day, he had a career-high 17-game hitting streak, batting .439 from July 25 to August 15.[28] On September 1, Solano had a career-high 6 RBIs in a 23–5 blowout win over the Colorado Rockies.[29] He ended the 2020 season batting a career-high .326 (5th in the NL)/.365/.463, with a career-high 15 doubles (fourth), three home runs, 29 RBIs, and three sacrifice flies (seventh) in 54 games in the 60-game season.[12][30] However, his 11 errors were the second-most in baseball, behind Rafael Devers.[31] He won the Silver Slugger Award for National League second basemen.[12] He also won a sportsman of the year award from Colombian journalists.[32]

Solano signed a $3.25 million contract on February 18, 2021.[27] In the 2021 regular season, Solano batted .280/.344/.404 with 35 runs, seven home runs, and 31 RBIs in 344 plate appearances. He made his MLB postseason debut but was hitless in 9 plate appearances with 1 sacrifice fly and 1 RBI.[12][33] He became a free agent on November 3.[5]

Cincinnati Reds

On March 16, 2022, Solano signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds.[34] Solano started the season on the injured list and received a platelet-rich plasma injection to address lingering pain in his left hamstring in April. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on May 23.[35] He made his first appearance for the Reds on June 22. Solano appeared in 80 games for Cincinnati, slashing .284/.339/.385 with 4 home runs and 24 RBI.[36]

Minnesota Twins

Solano signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Minnesota Twins on February 23, 2023.[37][38] In 134 games for Minnesota, he batted .282/.369/.391 with five home runs and a career-high 38 RBI as the Twins won American League Central. In his return to the postseason, he batted 1-for-10 with 3 walks.[12][39] Solano became a free agent on November 2.[5]

San Diego Padres

On April 15, 2024, Solano signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.[40] In 12 games for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, he hit .318/.392/.455 with 1 home run and 8 RBI. On May 5, the Padres added Solano to their major league roster.[41] Solano started his time with the Padres primarily playing third base with Manny Machado limited due to his recovery from an elbow surgery at the end of the previous season.[42] He played first base on September 25 as the Padres clinched a postseason berth with a triple play against the Dodgers, making the game's final putout.[43][44] Solano hit a career high 8 home runs in the regular season, batting .286/.343/.417 in 96 games as the Padres advanced to the National League Division Series before their elimination by the Dodgers.[12][45][46] Solano again struggled in the playoffs, batting 1-for-14.[12] He returned to free agency on October 31.[5]

Seattle Mariners

On January 13, 2025, Solano signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Seattle Mariners.[47]

International career

Solano was selected to the Colombia national baseball team for the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers. He batted .385/.467/.615, leading the team in hits (5) and runs batted in (3).[48] However, Colombia did not move on from the qualifiers that year, after losing to Brazil and Panama.

After Colombia qualified for the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Solano played for the national team alongside his brother Jhonatan.[5] Solano batted 3-for-14, with a .214/.267/.214 slash line.[49] However, Colombia was eliminated in the first round.[50]

Solano initially committed to play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic but withdrew from the team in February 2023 to prepare for his upcoming season with the Twins.[51][52][53]

Personal life

Solano's older brother, Jhonatan Solano, was a catcher who made his debut in May 2012 for the Washington Nationals against Solano's Marlins.[54][55] The Solanos were the first brothers to make their MLB debut in the same month since Vladimir Guerrero and Wilton Guerrero in September 1996, and the first brothers to have their first MLB hit in the same month since Pete Stanicek and Steve Stanicek in September 1987.[5] The brothers played together for the Marlins in 2015 and for Colombia in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[56]

Solano's parents are Luis Solano and Myriam Preciado. Luis pitched and played infield in Colombian baseball leagues.[5][2][54]

Solano and his wife Laura have three sons, Donovan, Enoc, and Jeremias.[5][2][57]

Solano is a Christian.[58][13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "SF Giants: Why Donovan Solano's 'Donnie Barrels' nickname is something no one saw coming". The Mercury News. July 30, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Baggarly, Andrew (June 5, 2020). "Sweet spot: The Giants' Donovan Solano is baseball's surprise hitting wonder". The Athletic. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  3. ^ Park, Do-Hyoung (April 16, 2023). "Solano would like to turn barrels into dingers". MLB.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  4. ^ Devoto, Jeff (September 17, 2019). "Solano a nice surprise for Giants". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Donovan Solano Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Morgan, Marlon W. (April 22, 2012). "THE MINORS REPORT: Change good for former Redbird Donovan Solano". The Commercial Appeal. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Donovan Solano MLB, Minor League Baseball Statistics". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Donovan Solano 2012 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  9. ^ Rodriguez, Juan C. (May 20, 2012). "Miami Marlins promote Coghlan, Solano, DL Bonifacio; Adam Lind status". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  10. ^ Green, Tom (July 25, 2012). "With Hanley gone, Solano to get time at third". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  11. ^ "MLB All-Rookie Team (Baseball America) Historical Winners". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h "Donovan Solano Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  13. ^ a b Cabeza Jabba, Edson (January 7, 2016). "Es un sueño llegar al Real Madrid del béisbol: Dónovan Solano" ['It's a dream to reach the Real Madrid of baseball': Dónovan Solano]. El Heraldo (in Spanish). Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  14. ^ "2016 International League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  15. ^ Jennings, Chad (September 18, 2016). "Lohud Yankees Blog: Yanks add Solano in wake of Castro's injury". Lohud.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  16. ^ Jennings, Chad (October 10, 2016). "Lohud Yankees Blog: Roster cleanup continues with Solano outrighted". Lohud.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  17. ^ "Minor League Free Agents 2017". baseballamerica.com. November 7, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "2018 Oklahoma City Dodgers Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  19. ^ "Minor League Free Agents 2018". baseballamerica.com. November 6, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  20. ^ Eddy, Matt (January 12, 2019). "Minor League Transactions: Dec 19 - Jan 10". Baseball America. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  21. ^ "Donovan Solano - 2019 Batting Game Logs". FanGraphs Baseball. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  22. ^ "Donovan Solano Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  23. ^ "Major League Leaders 2019". FanGraphs.
  24. ^ Murphy, Bryan (November 7, 2019). "POLL: Who is the Giants' Batter of the Year for 2019?". McCovey Chronicles. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  25. ^ "Donovan Solano 2019 Batting Splits". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  26. ^ "Donovan Solano and Giants agree on contract". FantasyPros. December 3, 2019.
  27. ^ a b "Donovan Solano | MLB Contracts & Salaries". Spotrac. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  28. ^ "Donovan Solano 2020 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  29. ^ "Giants vs. Rockies - Game Recap - September 1, 2020". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2021.
  30. ^ "2020 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  31. ^ "2020 Major League Baseball Fielding Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  32. ^ Ascencio, Orlando (December 21, 2020). "Solano encabezó el batazo del béisbol en la gala de Acord Atlántico" [Solano led the baseball batting at the Acord Atlántico gala]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  33. ^ "Donovan Solano drives in Flores with a sacrifice fly". MLB.com. October 9, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  34. ^ "Who is Donovan Solano? What to know about former Silver Slugger Award winner".
  35. ^ "Reds' Donovan Solano: Shifts to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  36. ^ "Donovan Solano - 2022 Batting Game Logs". FanGraphs Baseball. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  37. ^ "Twins sign Donovan Solano to one-year contract". mlb.com. February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  38. ^ "Twins Sign Donovan Solano". MLB Trade Rumors. February 23, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  39. ^ "Donovan Solano singles on a ground ball to right fielder Kyle Tucker. Michael A. Taylor to 2nd". MLB.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  40. ^ "Padres sign veteran infielder Donovan Solano to minors deal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  41. ^ "Padres Select Donovan Solano". mlbtraderumors.com. May 5, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  42. ^ Cassavell, AJ (October 4, 2023). "Machado undergoes surgery, hopeful to return by Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  43. ^ Cassavell, AJ (September 25, 2024). "'Baseball genius': Inside Padres' postseason-clinching triple play". MLB.com. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  44. ^ "Padres clinch with first triple play of second half". MLB.com. September 25, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  45. ^ "Career High In Hr Over A Season For Donovan Solano". StatMuse. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  46. ^ "Padres eliminated from playoffs after loss to Dodgers in Game 5 of NLDS". Yahoo Sports. October 12, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  47. ^ "Mariners, IF Donovan Solano finalize $3.5M, 1-year contract". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  48. ^ "Stats - Colombia 2012". MLB.com. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  49. ^ "Stats - Colombia 2017". MLB.com. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  50. ^ Fernandez, Andre C. (March 12, 2017). "Dominican Republic holds off Colombia in 11 innings to advance". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  51. ^ Glaser, Kyle. "2023 Colombia World Baseball Classic Roster". Baseball America. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  52. ^ Miller, Phil (February 24, 2023). "Twins newcomer Donovan Solano shows commitment by skipping World Baseball Classic". www.startribune.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  53. ^ "Clásico Mundia: Colombia pierde a IF ex-Yankees en róster de WBC; ya tiene reemplazo" [World Classic: Colombia loses ex-Yankee IF on WBC roster; he already has a replacement]. AlBat.com (in Spanish). February 22, 2023.
  54. ^ a b Kilgore, Adam (May 29, 2012). "Jhonatan Solano greets his brother Donovan Solano in the majors with their parents watching". Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  55. ^ "Jhonatan Solano - 2012 Batting Game Logs". FanGraphs Baseball. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  56. ^ Davis, Craig (March 11, 2017). "Solano brothers lead Colombia to first WBC win over Canada". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 18, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  57. ^ Solano, Donovan [@DSolano17] (August 16, 2023). "Este post está dedicado a mi amorcito de mi vida más pequeñito que la gracia De Dios te siga acompañando cada día mi Gordo más feliz Que te falte todo menos su presencia mi Amor porque si lo tienes a El lo tendrás todo en la vida TE AMO BEBE DE MAMI Y PAPI FELIZ PRIMER CUMPLEAÑOS MI AMOR LINDO #BABYJERE" – via Instagram.
  58. ^ Mercer, Kevin (August 7, 2020). "S.F. Giants' Donovan Solano leads MLB in batting as he praises God". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
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