Who is Arizona Fall League All-Star and Nationals prospect Chase Solesky?

The Chicago White Sox selected RHP Chase Solesky out of Tulane College with the 620th pick in the 2019 MLB draft. During his time at the collegiate level Solesky collected 121 strikeouts over 157.2 innings at Tulane while also pitching to a 5.22 ERA over 3 years. In 4 minor league seasons, Solesky spent the most time in A ball, only throwing in AAA in 2023. Solesky struggled in MiLB ball, with the best year being 2022 at A+ and pitching to a 4.24 ERA over 24 appearances. The White Sox would release Solesky following the 2023 season.

After a bleak offseason, Solesky transitioned from MiLB to the Atlantic League, pitching for the Hagerstown Flying Box Cars to begin the 2024 season. In 9 games (6 starts), Solesky pitched to a 5.67 ERA, striking out 29 over 33.1 innings. While the ERA wasn’t great, Solesky would get the opportunity to pitch for a professional organization again, and luckily for us, the team that would grant him that chance was the Washington Nationals.

On June 10th, he and the Washington Nationals agreed on a minor league deal and shortly after was optioned to AA Harrisburg, where he would spend all of the 2024 season. Solesky would only appear in 17 games, tallying 15 starts. In those games, he pitched to a 3.02 ERA, with 51 strikeouts in 83.1 innings, and collected career highs in every major stat category in 2024, and things only kept getting better. Solesky would be selected to participate in the Arizona Fall League with 7 other Nationals prospects including Robert Hassell III and Dustin Saenz. In 6 appearances in the AFL, Solesky has pitched to a 4.85 ERA, striking out 20 and walking just one. For his efforts, he also earned a spot on the Fall League All-Stars roster and pitched a scoreless inning in the game.

When looking at top pitching prospects going into 2025, the Nationals do not have much depth at the position. Solesky has come out of nowhere and cemented himself as a top pitching prospect within the organization along with Travis Sykora and Jarlin Susana. He has not only had a great season, but a great story. If I was Mike Rizzo, I would give the 27-year-old Solesky a Spring Training invitation as early as this season and have Solesky begin next season at AAA. If he succeeds there, we could see him on the cusp of the majors, and potentially be in line to make his MLB debut in 2025. The Nationals are always looking for bullpen or starting pitching depth, and Chase Solesky is emerging as the answer.