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Who are Anthony Banda and Nick Solak

 
Published Feb. 21, 2018

So, who did the Rays get back for RF Steven Souza Jr.?

LHP Anthony Banda, 24, who appeared in eight games/four starts for the Diamondbacks last season, and 2B Nick Solak, 23, from the Yankees organization in addition to two players to be named later from Arizona.

Both players will be in big-league camp. Banda will be added to the 40-man roster.

Banda: A 10th-round draft pick in 2012 by the Brewers, who was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2014 as part of the OF Gerardo Parra deal.

He was the Diamondbacks' No. 2 prospect, according to Baseball America.

He made his major-league debut last season, going 2-3 with a 5.96 ERA, 25 strikeouts/10 walks in 25 2/3 innings.

In six minor-league seasons, Banda was 40-34 with a 3.83 ERA in 130 games/113 starts.

In 2016, Banda was 10-6, 2.88 in 26 starts between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno.

He was selected to Team USA in the Futures Game that summer and started for the Southern Division in the Southern League All-Star Game.

In 2015, he led the California League and was seventh among all minor-league pitchers in strikeouts with 152 in 150 2/3 innings.

He is 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas. He went to Sinton High (Sinton, Texas), which also produced RHP Mike Adams, who made 408 relief appearances for four teams between 2004-14.

Solak: Batted .297/.384/.452 last season, splitting time between Class A Tampa and Double-A Trenton. He had 26 doubles, five triples, 12 home runs, 53 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

He was named to the Florida State League postseason all-star team and was named a Yankees organization all-star by MLB.com.

In 100 games at FSL, the right-handed hitter hit .301 with a league-high .397 on-base percentage.

MLB.com had him ranked as the Yankees No. 8 prospect.

He was a second-round pick by the Yankees in 2016.

From Woodridge, Ill., he played at Naperville (Ill.) High, which produced 16-year MLB vet Jerry Hairston.

He played college ball at Louisville.

In his first year of pro ball, Solak was second in the league with 77 hits for short season Class A Staten Island. His on-base percentage of .412 was tied for third in the league, and his .321 batting average was fourth.

He is 5-11, 175.