Solano managed to get a trial with San Diego (Pacific Coast League) as a teenage shortstop during the player shortage in 1945, but otherwise spent his early career in the then-outlaw Mexican League. After the Arizona-Texas League absorbed some of the Mexican League franchises in 1953, Solano hit 199 homers with 799 RBI in five years. He hit as many as 45 HR in 1956, and batted as high as .402 in 1957.
