Major League mail forwarding

A few weeks ago, I sent then-Yankees prospect Nick Solak a TTM request at spring training. Solak is quickly becoming one of the most reliable signers out there, and I had a few extra cards of his.

I sent me request and then something happened.

He got traded.

I figured my TTM request was a lost cause, but I wasn't too upset. One of the top TTM rules is to never send anything you don't want to lose, so I wasn't too down on losing two cards of a Rays prospect.

But then on Monday, my SASE arrived with these:

It looks like the Yankees must've forwarded Solak's mail, which was very cool.

I should know better than to write off any TTM request. Glad to have these back, and I wish Nick the best of luck with his new organization.

Minors pickups

I've never opened a pack of Topps Heritage Minors, but I do enjoy the set. I like seeing minor league players on some iconic designs of the past.

This year, I threw two cards from 2017 Heritage Minors into my shopping cart during COMC's Black Friday weekend.

The first is an on-card autograph of Nick Solak. While I've gotten him TTM before, I didn't have a certified autograph.

Currently, Solak finds himself ranked the Yankees 8th best prospect, according to MLB.com. He was the Yankees 2nd round pick in 2016 out of Louisville. All the guy has ever done is hit. In his first full season of pro ball, he hit .297 between High A Tampa and AA Trenton. He also hit 12 homers, so he's got a little pop despite being a contact guy.

The second pickup is a Clubhouse Collection relic of former #4 overall pick Dillon Tate, who the Yankees got from Texas in the Carlos Beltran trade. He lost his groove a bit in Texas' system, but rebounded nicely last year while mirroring Solak's season in A+ Tampa and AA Trenton. Overall, he went 7-2 in 13 starts with a 2.81 ERA. It'll be interesting to see if he can build upon that in 2018 at AA.

Two cards as part of throw-ins to my larger order, and two guys I'll be paying close attention to this season.

TTM Success: Nick Solak

My spring training TTMs are going horribly. I shouldn't be surprised. This is the trend over the last few years. I shoved that data aside and sent out a ton this year, and now somehow I'm acting surprised that they aren't showing up in my mailbox.

I did get one in yesterday from Yankees prospect Nick Solak. He's a great looking hitter and I hope to see him join the Yankees embarrassing stash of high-level middle infield prospects.

From those who care, make sure you treat 2016 Bowman Draft cards before you send them out for an autograph. The ink will bubble! I used a standard eraser before I sent this one, and the signature stuck fine. But WTF Topps? People like to get autographs on Bowman Draft. Give us a cardstock that can hold a signature without having to use baby powder or an eraser or something.

TTM Success: Nick Solak

Hopefully now that the minor league season is mostly over, a few TTMs from the season come in.

I sent this request to Yankees prospect Nick Solak toward the end of the season. Since I'm geographically close to Staten Island, I felt the gamble wasn't too high that it'd get to him before his season ended. Luckily, it came back really quickly signed perfectly.

Shout out to the Rookies App for the custom card.

Solak was picked by the Yankees in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He played his college ball in Louisville, and carried his college success straight into the minors. He spent all year at Staten Island, hitting .321/.412/.421 in 240 ABs. That'll do. As a 21-year-old from a big-time program, he'll be ticketed for full-season ball next year.

From what I can tell by his Tweets, Zippy Zappy enjoyed watching him play this season. I didn't get the chance to see him in person, but I look forward to Solak climbing the ranks over the next couple of years.

Thanks for the autograph, Mr. Solak.