Report: Nick Solak to Sign with the Yankees Monday

Joshua Welge of the Naperville Sun is reporting that the New York Yankees have reached an agreement with second baseman Nick Solak, their second round pick in the 2016 amateur draft.

Nick Solak’s college career ended in dramatic fashion Sunday, with his number two seed Louisville Cardinals upset by underdog UC Santa-Barbara in the NCAA tournament. The loss was especially heartbreaking because it came on a walk-off grand slam.

Hopefully the disappointment will be offset somewhat when Solak travels to Yankee stadium Monday to sign his first professional contract. After Louisville’s elimination, Solak told Welge, “I guess you could say the last week has been the highest of highs and lowest of lows. It was heartbreaking the way our season ended but I’m excited about what’s ahead.”

As of yet, the terms of Solak’s haven’t been announced, but as the 62nd overall pick, his slot value is $1.04 million. It is speculated that one of the reasons took Nick Solak in the second round is that he might be willing to sign under-slot as a college junior, allowing them to put more resources into signing first round pick Blake Rutherford, who is expected to command a well over-slot bonus.

Solak tells Welge that he expects to be assigned to Short Season-A Staten Island to begin his professional career. The 21-year-old Solak slashed .376/.470/.564 in 47 games for Louisville this season, and .346/.442/.484 in 159 games during his college career. He split his time between second base, outfield, and DH for the Cardinals, but the Yankees see him primarily as a second baseman.

As a bat-first, line drive hitting second baseman with a polished approach from a major college program, the comparison to current Yankee Rob Refsnyder feels inevitable. He feels like a fairly safe pick with a high floor that offsets taking a riskier high school talent in the first round.

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