Anthony Solometo #35

Anthony Epifanio Solometo (pronounced saul-o-meet-o)... Is a 2021 graduate of Bishop Eustace Prep School in Pennsauken Township, N.J., where he was rated as the 17th-best player in the MLB draft by MLB Pipeline (28th by Baseball America)…Went 4-0 with one save, a 0.21 ERA, 64 strikeouts and five walks in 32.2 innings as a senior at Bishop Eustace...Committed to the University of North Carolina after his freshman season of high school...Was listed by Baseball America as having the fourth-best “Breaking Ball” and as having the fifth-best “Control” among high school players in the 2021 draft...Struck out 11 batters in a five inning no-hitter on 5/1/21 against Don Bosco Preparatory High School...Struck out 24 batters while tossing 7.0 innings of no-hit ball in a 1-0, 10-inning win against Cherry Hill West High School on 5/7/21...Became a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers after the team beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL (wore No. 32 in high school as a fan of Steelers Hall-of-Famer Franco Harris)...Does everything in life right-handed except for sports...Lists his favorite player growing up as Cole Hamels...Signed by Pirates scout Dan Radcliff.

2024

Entered the season ranked by Baseball America as Pittsburgh’s No. 5 prospect...Went 1-8 with a 5.37 ERA (70.1ip/42er) in 23 games (20 starts) with three different teams...Began the season with Altoona and gave up one hit and no runs in 4ip while making his season debut on 4/7 at Akron...Suffered his first loss in his second outing on 4/14 vs. Harrisburg (3.0ip/3er)…Made his three relief appearances in succession from 5/18-29 (5ip/4er)…Was assigned to the Florida Complex League Pirates on 7/19 and made his lone appearance there on 7/20...Also started one game with Bradenton on 7/26 before returning to Altoona...Pitched five scoreless innings on 8/1 at Palm Beach...Won his only game after tossing six scoreless frames on 8/31 vs. New Hampshire.

2023

Entered the season rated as Pittsburgh’s No. 13 prospect according to Baseball America…Led all Pirates minor leaguers with a 3.26 ERA (minimum 90.0 innings) while also finishing seventh in strikeouts (118)… Went a combined 4-7 with a 3.26 ERA (110.1ip/40er) and 118 strikeouts in 24 starts between Greensboro and Altoona…Began the season with Greensboro, allowing one run in 4.0 innings as the Opening Day starter on 4/7 at Hudson Valley…Recorded the first eight-strikeout game of his career on 4/19 vs. Greenville (matched the career-high in his start on 5/6 at Winston-Salem)…Tossed a career-high 7.0 innings on 5/18 at Asheville…Earned his first win at the High-A level on 5/24 after tossing 6.0 shutout innings against Bowling Green…Allowed just one unearned run in 22.0 innings in his last four starts with Greensboro…Had the fourth-lowest ERA (2.30) in the South Atlantic League at the time he was promoted to Altoona on 6/15...Made his Double-A debut on 6/17 at Somerset, striking out seven batters while allowing four runs in 5.0 innings in a loss at Somerset…Was the Eastern League’s youngest pitcher at 20 years, 6 months, and 15 days when he made his Curve debut…Became the 13th player in Altoona history under at the age of 21 and the fifth-youngest player in team history when he joined the Curve…Tossed 14.0 consecutive scoreless innings from the final inning of his Curve debut through 3.0 innings on 7/6 vs. Erie…Pitched 1.2 innings on 7/15 at New Hampshire (39 pitches/21 strikes) before rain suspended and eventually cancelled the game…Was placed on the development list on 8/8 to manage his innings count before being activated on 8/13…Was one of 14 players to reach Double-A at the age of 20 or younger for the season.