Ramon Soler

Ramon Soler

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.

• Born September 19, 1977 in Las Caobas, Santo Domingo D.R.

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Ramon Soler is a former Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants infield prospect who spent five seasons in the minor leagues. He was signed by scout Rudy Santin. He was ranked the Devil Rays' #2 prospect in 1999 and their #7 prospect in 2000 by Baseball America, but he never reached the majors.

He was originally signed by the Devil Rays as an undrafted free agent in 1997, and he began his pro career in 1998, with the GCL Devil Rays, where in 58 games he batted .252 with 23 stolen bases. He led the team in games played, at-bats (264), runs (47), triples (7), stolen bases and sacrifice hits (4). He was second on the team in hits (his 57 trailed Kelvin Ryan's 59) and hit by pitch (his five trailed Brian Martin's 6). He led the Gulf Coast League in runs, tied Angel Batista for the most at-bats and led in triples. He led GCL shortstops in fielding percentage (.944), asissts (209) and double plays (36). Baseball America rated him as the #8 prospect in the GCL.

Soler did a bit worse in 1999, playing for the Charleston RiverDogs. He played in 108 games, batting .237/~.333/.298 with 46 steals in 60 tries and 74 runs scored. Again he led the team in stolen bases. He led South Atlantic League shortstops with 40 errors.

With the Bakersfield Blaze in 2001 (he missed all of 2000), Soler had perhaps the best season of his entire career. He collected 110 hits in 418 at-bats for a .263 batting average, stealing 25 bases which led the team. He was only caught stealing five times. His OBP was .338 and he slugged .330 while scoring 72 runs.

He started 2002 with the Orlando Rays of the Devil Rays organization but was waived. He was claimed by the Mets and spent the rest of the year with the St. Lucie Mets, Binghamton Mets and Norfolk Tides. He did poorly overall that year, hitting .229 with 27 stolen bases.

On the move again, he wound up in the Giants organization in 2003, his final year in professional baseball. He spent time with the Norwich Navigators and San Jose Giants - combined, he hit .267 with 25 steals in 112 games.

Overall, Soler played in 455 games, collecting 409 hits in 1,630 at-bats for a .251 batting average. He scored 283 runs, drove 116 in, doubled 57 times, tripled 16 times and homered seven times. He stole 146 and was caught stealing 47 times, for a 76% success rate.

Soler was part of the "age change conspiracy" quite common with foreign ballplayers. He came into American pro baseball claiming to be born on July 6, 1981, when he really was born on September 19, 1977.