Nats release Jhonatan Solano

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

November 18, 2014, 5:21pm

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The Nationals have released catcher Jhonatan Solano, according to the team's transactions page, clearing another spot on the team's 40-man roster.

Solano appeared in 36 big league games between the 2012 and 2013 seasons, and impressed in his first taste of major league action, hitting .314/.351/.571 in 37 plate appearances in 2012. He hit two homers and drove in six when helping to fill in for an injured Wilson Ramos that year.

But Solano hit just .214 at Triple-A Syracuse in 2013, and had a .146/.180/.268 slash line in 24 games (50 plate appearances) with the Nats that season.

The 29-year-old backstop known as "The Onion" then hit .251/.305/.388 in 93 games with Syracuse in 2014, and it was Sandy Leon, who is viewed as the defensively superior catcher, who got called up when Ramos twice landed on the disabled list last season.

Leon also was added to the team's active roster when rosters expanded in September, serving as the Nats' third catcher.

Solano was out of options, and with Leon still around along with Ramos and Jose Lobaton, the Nats felt they could clear a roster spot by letting Solano go.

The move leaves the Nats with 38 on their 40-man roster.