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MLB

4/8/25 Notebook: Good To Be Home

April 8, 2025

Bridgewater, New Jersey – After dropping the rubber game of their season opening three-game slate with Hartford over the weekend, their first series loss to the Yard Goats since joining the affiliated ranks in 2021, Somerset (1-2) returns to TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night for the home opener and

Bridgewater, New Jersey – After dropping the rubber game of their season opening three-game slate with Hartford over the weekend, their first series loss to the Yard Goats since joining the affiliated ranks in 2021, Somerset (1-2) returns to TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night for the home opener and to kick off a six-game series against the winless Reading Fightin’ Phils (0-3).

Right-hander Brendan Beck was the Yankees second-round draft selection in 2021, and to this point, the 26-year-old has just 34 innings of work on his minor league resume due to a slew of elbow injuries that have cost him much of the last three seasons. The Stanford-product is scheduled to take the ball for Somerset in the opener on Tuesday night for his first start in a live game since August of 2023.

Opposing Beck in the home opener is scheduled to be right-hander Charles King for Reading. The 27-year-old King was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free-agent last winter and he went on to pitch in 34 games across four levels for Philadelphia, all but one coming as a reliever. King fanned 45 batters in 41.1 innings of work while posting a 3.92 ERA and .232 BAA in his debut season.

Here's some of the latest news, notes and storylines surrounding the Patriots heading into this week’s action.

You Serious, Clarke? – It took just one game for Somerset to host their first MLB rehab assignment after having 14 big leaguers blaze the comeback trail with the club last season. Last Saturday, right-hander Clarke Schmidt fanned seven of the 12 batters he faced in Hartford over 3.1 innings of shutout ball. The 2017 first-round draft selection tossed 52 pitches, 37 for strikes, in his first live game action since the Yankees placed him on the IL on 3/24 with right rotator cuff tendonitis.

Same Old Flo – The Yankees recognized C/1B Rafael Flores as the organization’s Kevin Lawn Award winner as the Bomber’s minor league “Position Player of the Year” this spring after a torrid 2024 stretch. The team’s 17th ranked prospect picked up right where he left off last season after going 5-for-13 with two homers and five RBI over the first three games of the year. After being relatively under the radar entering play last season, the pressure of expectations certainly has not seemed to be weighing heavy on the versatile backstop coming out of the gate.

“I think that my game has gotten me this far and there’s no reason to put any added pressure on myself,” said Flores. “There’s no reason to kind of think that I need to do more…I’ve just got to trust it and keep the same path. You’ve heard me say ‘chip on my shoulder’ many times and I’m just going to keep that the whole way.”

Strong out of the Gate - Once upon a time, infielder Jake Gatewood was the 41st overall pick in the draft for the Milwaukee Brewers. That was over a decade ago now, and after a two-year stint in the independent ranks, Gatewood is hoping to have a J.C. Escarra-like renaissance to his career after inking a minor league deal with the Yankees over the winter. The early returns are promising for Gatewood, who has gone 3-for-10 with a walk and three RBI for Somerset.

Struck ‘em Out - With three games in the books, Somerset has fanned an Eastern League-high 44 batters in 25.1 innings of play thus far. In the series finale at Hartford on Sunday, six pitchers combined to strike out 17 batters, which fell one shy of the franchises single game record.

Jonesing for Consistency – Yankees third ranked prospect Spencer Jones is arguably the most gifted player in the system. He has shown flashes of what the organization hopes is a cornerstone piece in the not-too-distant future. But after an admittedly inconsistent 2024 season, Jones is looking to find a happy medium that allows the highs and lows to meet somewhere in between.

“Last season, I’d have really good months, and then not so great months,” said Jones. “How do we find the middle line between those and work with the things that were really good for me at the end of the year, as well as the things that I learned when I was going through the tough parts to get myself out of it. For me it’s to work on the stuff I have been this spring. That’s the plan, be consistent.”

“He’s talked about how he felt like there was some extra moving parts in his swing that he was trying to get rid of, and so far, he has, and it’s looked really good,” said new hitting coach Mike Fransoso. “We’re going to continue to make him be the best version of himself and get him ready to play in the big leagues.”

In three games of action thus far, Jones has gone 3-for-11 with an RBI, two walks and two runs scored.

Coaches Eyes Watching You – During Somerset’s Media Day availability last week, manager Raul Dominguez and hitting coach Mike Fransoso identified a couple of under the radar players that have caught their attention this spring and think are poised for strong seasons.

“I think Cole Gabrielson,” said Fransoso. “He spent a ton of time backing up in big league games because he was performing so well over there. He had a really good camp – he came in and he was a guy that kind of jumped off. You watch their BP and watch their work and your kind of just drawn to it. He’s got a good routine going right now and we’re excited for what he’s done and what he’s going to do this year.”

“I would say [Garrett] Martin in the outfield,” said Dominguez. “I saw him in spring training, and he was just playing really, really well. I know that he had a really good year in Hudson Valley.”

Dominguez added, “Also really happy to have Jesus Rodriguez back in Somerset. He was hurt for almost two months here and it was so good to see him in spring training healthy and doing what he can do so I am excited to see him here healthy.”

Knowing the Opponent – Much like Dominguez, Reading manager Al Pedrique, who was a Double-A manager in the Yankees system a decade ago, returns as the Fightin’ Phils skipper for his third consecutive season. The Phillies affiliate is headlined by the organization’s second ranked prospect in shortstop Aidan Miller. The 2023 first-round draft selection got all the way up to Double-A to wrap up his first full-season in pro-ball last season and the talented 20-year-old Miller is already off to a quick start having gone 2-for-8 with a walk and a homer.

Right-hander Moises Chace is the Phillies fifth ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline and the heralded 21-year-old Venezuelan-product is slated to make his season debut this week. Philadelphia acquired Chace at last summer’s trade deadline from Baltimore in a package that sent Gregory Soto to Orioles. In just 80.1 innings of work last season spanning 23 appearances, Chace fanned 124 batters and held opposition to a mere .200 batting average.

Series Probable Starters:

Tuesday 4/8: RHP Brendan Beck vs. RHP Chuck King

Wednesday 4/9: RHP Bailey Dees vs. RHP Moises Chace

Thursday 4/10: RHP Cam Schlittler vs. RHP Jean Cabrera

Friday 4/11: RHP Baron Stuart vs. LHP Braeden Fausnaught

Saturday 4/12: LHP Edgar Barclay vs. RHP Griff McGarry

Sunday 4/13: RHP Trent Sellers vs. RHP Gabe Mosser

Matt Kardos | SomersetPatriots.com Senior Writer

Matt Kardos has covered the Yankees minor league system for over a decade and will spend his 13th season on the beat covering the Patriots for SomersetPatriots.com. Throughout his career, Matt has contributed to MLB.com, YES Network and Pinstriped Prospects. When he’s not at the ballpark, Matt enjoys traveling with his wife Kimberly, watching Jets football and collecting sports cards.