Patriots Notebook 5/27/25: Top Billing
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — The surging Patriots, who have won back-to-back series for the first time this season, return home to TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday to welcome Eastern League-leading Akron (30-15) to town for a six-game series. After taking five of six games from New Hampshire on the road last
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — The surging Patriots, who have won back-to-back series for the first time this season, return home to TD Bank Ballpark on Tuesday to welcome Eastern League-leading Akron (30-15) to town for a six-game series. After taking five of six games from New Hampshire on the road last week, Somerset reached a .500 record for the first time since April 15, when the club opened with a 5-5 start to the season. Entering play tonight, the Patriots sit at 22-22 and have won eight of their last 10 games — they trail first-place Binghamton by five games in the division race with 25 games remaining in the first half of the Eastern League schedule.
Here are the latest notes and storylines surrounding the Patriots heading into this week’s action.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) May 25, 2025
Dylan Jasso CRUSHES a three-run homer to put Somerset in front!
Jasso is third on the Patriots with eight home runs this season. pic.twitter.com/fs98700htu
Surging Jasso: On a roster that features standout prospects like George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones, and Rafael Flores, it’s versatile infielder Dylan Jasso that has emerged as one of the standout offensive pieces in the Patriots lineup. The 22-year-old Jasso, who grew up in Mexico and came to the United States in hopes of being drafted, has slashed .286/.337/.500 while playing every defensive position on the infield other than shortstop, has become somewhat of an undrafted gem in the Yankees system.
After going 6-for-16 against New Hampshire last week, which was highlighted by his eighth homer of the season in the series finale on Sunday. Entering action on Tuesday Jasso ranks among the EL leads in TB (77-third), HR (8-fourth), H (44-fourth), RBI (27-seventh) and SLG (.500-ninth).
Jasso, who hit a career-high 11 homers in 120 games last season, reached eight before the calendar turned to June. The young infielder believes he is in a good spot offensively and is tapping into his power stroke.
“I prepared for this,” said Jasso. “Obviously it is showing up, but I prepared for a season like this and if I keep putting the good work together I for sure will surpass last season’s goals."
JT Brubaker ends his first rehab outing with Somerset, logging 49 pitches and making this play over at first.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) May 23, 2025
The @Yankees right-hander has thrown 5.2 IP across two rehab starts with Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley.
2.2 IP | 1 H | 2 R | 1 ER
Pitches (Strikes): 49 (26) pic.twitter.com/UOvB5js0CU
Patriotic Rehab: Yankees right-hander JT Brubaker became the fifth big leaguer to suit up on a rehab assignment with Somerset over the first two months of the season. The 31-year-old hurler, coming back from a fractured left rib suffered during a spring training outing, tossed 2.2 innings against New Hampshire last Friday in the second outing of his rehab. Brubaker tossed 49 pitches and allowed two runs on just one hit while issuing three walks.
Holy Schlitt-ler.@Yankees No. 10 prospect Cam Schlittler throws six scoreless innings with 8⃣ strikeouts.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) May 21, 2025
Schlittler has punched out at least seven in three of his last four starts.
6.0 IP | 6 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 8 K
Pitches (Strikes): 87 (62) pic.twitter.com/ucUupxW0fV
Cam Jam: Right-hander Cam Schlittler is showing that his 2024 season, which earned him the Kevin Lawn Award as the Yankees’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year, was no fluke. The 24-year-old has quietly been one of the most consistent starters in the Eastern League this season. Schlittler, who is scheduled to start Tuesday’s series opener against Akron, threw six shutout innings against New Hampshire last week to lower his ERA to 2.47 — the fifth-best mark among all qualified starters in the league. His 52 strikeouts in 43.2 innings rank third.
George Lombard Jr. (@Yankees' No. 1 prospect) hits a sacrifice fly to extend Somerset's lead to 4-0!
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) May 20, 2025
New York's 2023 first-round pick has 17 RBI this season, four of which are with Double-A Somerset. pic.twitter.com/mZ5TbJwb4y
Lombard Watch: Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. extended his on-base streak to 14 games Sunday, going 2-for-3 with two walks in the series finale at New Hampshire. The streak is tied for the third longest in the Eastern League. At just 19 years old, Lombard leads the organization with 37 walks and paces all Yankees minor leaguers with 35 runs scored and a .457 on-base percentage.
“I’ve always taken pride in staying in my zone and having a good eye overall,” Lombard said. “I think as I go up, and hopefully for the rest of my career, I’m going to keep working on that. That will always be a strong part of my game.”
Knowing the Opponent: The RubberDucks pay a visit to Bridgewater for the first time this season tied with Erie for the best record in the Eastern League with a 30-15 mark. The two clubs will lock horns for the second time in three weeks after Akron took four-of-six matchups earlier this month. Since becoming the Yankees affiliate in 2021, the Patriots have faced the Cleveland Guardians affiliate just 30 times and are now the only club the league that they have not defeated in a series (0-3-2) and are just 13-17 overall against them.
Cleveland's top prospect Travis Bazzana was added to Akron's 7-day injured list on May 21. The 22-year-old Bazzana was the first overall pick in last summer’s draft out of Oregon State and the highly touted infielder has already hit Double-A in his first season of pro-ball. Bazzana has slashed .252/.362/.433 with 4 homers and 17 RBI to go along with 8 stolen bases in 33 games of action this season.
Meanwhile, catcher Cooper Ingle, the organization’s No. 8 prospect, has driven home 30 runs with a .282/.386/.500 slash line. The Clemson-product, who was a fourth-round pick back in 2023, has emerged as the one of the most productive hitters in the league in the middle of a potent Akron lineup that has scored the second most runs in the league (221).
Series Pitching Probables:
Tue: LHP Rodney Boone (2-1, 2.43 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Schlittler (3-4, 2.47 ERA)
Wed: RHP Tommy Mace (5-2, 2.56 ERA) vs. TBD
Thu: RHP Carter Spivey (2-0, 3.36 ERA) vs. RHP JT Brubaker (MLB Rehab)
Fri: RHP Austin Peterson (3-2, 1.18 ERA) vs. RHP Trystan Vrieling (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sat: RHP Trenton Denholm (5-1, 2.03 ERA) vs. RHP Bailey Dees (1-3, 4.46 ERA)
Sun: LHP Rodney Boone (2-1, 2.43 ERA) vs. RHP Cam Schlittler (3-4, 2.47 ERA)
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.