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2024 Break Camp Roster For Double-A Somerset Announced

April 1, 2024

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the Somerset Patriots’ Break Camp Roster for the 2024 season.

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the Somerset Patriots’ Break Camp Roster for the 2024 season.

Yankees No. 2 prospect OF Spencer Jones headlines Somerset’s roster featuring eight of the organization’s top-30 prospects.

Jones comes off a red-hot spring training where he received an invite to Yankees MLB camp and slashed .444/.583/.722 with 7 R, 8 H, 2 2B, a HR, a 2B and 4 RBI in 12 games. He starred in MLB’s inaugural Spring Breakout game between the Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays prospects. In the game, Jones went 3-for-4 with 2 HR and 4 RBI. He was recently awarded the 2024 James P. Dawson Award given annually to the most outstanding Yankees rookie in spring training.

Jones has spent two minor league seasons in the Yankees organization (2022-23), hitting .279/.351/.459 (160-for-573) with 92 R, 35 2B, 4 3B, 20 HR, 78 RBI, 60 BB and 55 SB in 142 combined games. In 2023, he hit .267 (128-for-480) with 71 R, 29 2B 4 3B, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 49 BB and 43S B in 117 combined games with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset. He was also named to the American League roster for the 2023 All-Star Futures Game in Seattle, starting the game in center field. Following the season, the left-handed batter was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star, and was tabbed by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Yankees organization and the No. 46 prospect in baseball. He was also labeled the No. 84 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. The Encinitas, California native was selected by the Yankees in the first round (25th overall) of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Vanderbilt University (Tenn.).

No. 11 prospect LHP Brock Selvidge also comes off an electric starting performance in the Spring Breakout game in which he struck out eight and allowed one hit over four scoreless innings pitched. Selvidge combined for an 8-5 record with a 3.45 ERA and 137 strikeouts over 127.2 innings pitched in 24 games (23 starts) for Single-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley.

The Carrolton, Texas native was selected by the Yankees in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona. He has a MiLB career 11-6 record, 3.31 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 38 games (34 starts).

No. 13 prospect C/1B Ben Rice returns to Somerset, where he ended the 2023 season and took MiLB by storm. Rice batted .324/.434/.615 (89-for-275) with 62 R, 18 2B, a 3B, 20 HR, 68 RBI, 44 BB and 11 SB in 73 combined games with Single-A Tampa, High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset in 2023.

He was named by MLB Pipeline as the Yankees’ “Hitting Prospect of the Year” after ranking among qualified Yankees farmhands in home runs (seventh) and RBI (tied for eighth). Rice also was named the Eastern League “Player of the Month” for August after batting .345/.397/.700 (38-for-110) with 24 R, 7 2B, a 3B, 10 HR, 29 RBI, 8 BB and 6 SB in 26 games with Somerset. The left-handed batter was tabbed by Baseball America as the “Best Hitter for Average” among Yankees farmhands following last season. Heading into 2024, he is ranked by Baseball America as the Yankees’ No. 12 prospect, as well as being named the No. 13 in the Yankees’ system by MLB Pipeline. Additionally, he was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2023. The Cohasset, Massachusetts native was selected by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Dartmouth College. Rice recently was named the Kevin Lawn Award winner by the Yankees as their 2023 “Position Player of the Year.”

Somerset’s roster includes 18 players that had time with the team last season.

In the backend of the bullpen are RHP Jack Neely (No. 26) and RHP Danny Watson (No. 29), who both return to the Patriots after strong 2023 campaigns.

Neely finished last season 6-5 with a 2.17 ERA and 100 strikeouts and seven saves over 66.1 innings pitched in 42 combined appearances for Hudson Valley and Somerset. He was drafted out of Ohio State in the 11th round (333 overall) by the Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Watson (No. 29) was dominant throughout the 2023 season for Hudson Valley and Somerset, combining for a 7-1 record, 1.58 ERA, 5 saves and 82 strikeouts in 45 games pitched. He was a perfect 4-0 for the Patriots with a 1.64 ERA, five saves and 43 strikeouts in 30 appearances.

The Albany, New York native was selected by the Yankees in the 15th round (453 overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft.

C Agustin Ramirez (No. 22) was added to the Yankees 40-man roster on 11/14/23. He split last season between Tampa, Hudson Valley and Somerset. In a combined 114 games, Ramirez slashed .271/.364/.455 with 18 HR and 69 RBI. He was signed as an international free agent by the Yankees out of the Dominican Republic in 2018.

1B T.J. Rumfield comes back to Somerset after a 2023 campaign that saw him named the Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner for all minor league first basemen. He received an MLB Spring Training invite from the Yankees and homered in the Spring Breakout game. Rumfield has hit .243 (145-for-596) with 85 R, 30 2B, 21 HR, 100 RBI, 90 BB and 12 SB over parts of three minor league seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies (2021) and Yankees (2022-23) organizations. In 2023, the left-handed batter hit .222/.320/.437 (69-for-311) with 45 R, 16 2B, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 40 BB and 8 SB in 86 combined games with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset. Rumfield was acquired by the Yankees from the Phillies along with LHP Joel Valdez in exchange for RHP Nick Nelson and C Donny Sands on November 19, 2021. The Richmond, Virginia native was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the 12th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft out of Virginia Tech.

About the Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots 2024 season is presented by New Jersey Office Systems, LLC. Home games are played at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.