Alay Soler
Alain "Alay" Soler is a former baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets in.
Career
Early career
Soler attended high school at Espa Armani Arenado and played baseball for four years. He graduated from Nancy Uranga University with a physical education degree.Soler played baseball for his country in the World University Games in Cuba in and in Italy in. He also participated in the World Youth Games in 1996 and was a teammate of José Contreras on Pinar del Río in the Cuban National Series. He later played as a member of the Cuban national team.
Soler defected from Cuba in November, 2003, receiving political asylum in the Dominican Republic. He pitched for Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter Baseball League in, recording a 0–2 record and a 5.28 ERA in five games. In 15.1 innings, he allowed 14 hits, nine runs, with six walks and 23 strikeouts. He recorded 10 strikeouts and permitted one hit in five innings of work on October 26 against the Estrellas Orientales. Soler averaged 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
New York Mets
In September,, Soler signed a three-year, $2.8 million major league contract with the New York Mets. However, he was unable to obtain a visa for entry into the United States until November, 2005. He began his career as a Met with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets in April,, but was quickly promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Mets in May.Soler made his major league debut as a starter at Shea Stadium on May 24, 2006. He gave up two earned runs, five hits and four walks in six innings with no decision as the Mets defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5–4. In Soler's fourth career start he hurled his first complete game shutout, a two-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Through the first half of 2006, Soler posted a 2–3 record with a 6.00 ERA.
On July 3, 2006, Soler was sent back to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides after a poor performance the night before against the New York Yankees.
Soler was given his unconditional release by the Mets on March 12, 2007. He had pitched unimpressively during spring training.