Anthony Epifanio Solometo (pronounced saul-o-meet-o)... Is a 2021 graduate of Bishop Eustace (N.J.) Prep School, 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 rated 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 5.0 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.
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.