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Patriots Notebook 6/3/25: Pacesetting Ponies

June 3, 2025

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – After dropping four of six to Southwest Division-leading Akron last week, the schedule doesn’t lighten up for the Patriots (24-26) as they hit the road to take on division rival Binghamton in the first installment of the Double-A Subway Series this season. The Rumble Ponies (33-17) sit

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – After dropping four of six to Southwest Division-leading Akron last week, the schedule doesn’t lighten up for the Patriots (24-26) as they hit the road to take on division rival Binghamton in the first installment of the Double-A Subway Series this season.

The Rumble Ponies (33-17) sit atop the Northeast Division and hold a five-game cushion over second-place Portland, while Somerset trails by nine games with just 19 contests remaining in the first half.

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

RailSchlittler: Cam Schlittler, the Yankees' No. 10 prospect, was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday. At the time of his promotion, Schlittler ranked second in the Eastern League in IP (54.0) and K (64) and ranked fourth in ERA (2.38). In 2025, Schlittler earned a non-roster invite to MLB Spring Training with the Yankees, where he pitched in five games (four starts) and posted a 4.41 ERA with 13 K over 16.1 IP.

Welcome to Somerset: At the same time Schlittler was promoted, the Somerset Patriots received four additions to the roster. Carlos Lagrange, New York's No. 17 prospect, was called up from High-A Hudson Valley. Lagrange started the 2025 Spring Breakout Game for the Yankees on 3/15 at Baltimore. Over 4.0 IP, Lagrange allowed 2 H, 2 R, and 1 ER with 2 K and 0 BB. He began the season with High-A Hudson Valley. In eight starts, he posted a 4.10 ERA with 64 K and 12 BB in 41.2 innings. At the time of his promotion, Lagrange was third in the South Atlantic League in K (64), fifth in WHIP (1.03) and eighth in BA (.203). Lagrange signed with the Yankees for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic in February 2022.

Roc Riggio, the Yankees' No. 24 prospect, also earned a promotion from Hudson Valley. In 2025, Riggio played 20 games with the Renegades, where he slashed .269/.430/.615 with 6 HR, 15 RBI, 4 2B, 20 R and 20 BB. Since his activation on 5/6, Riggio led the Renegades with 6 HR. He spent the entire 2024 season with Hudson Valley, where he posted a .221/.349/.397 slash line, while leading the Renegades with 70 R, 27 2B, 5 3B, 71 BB, 43 XBH and 27 SB. Riggio was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Yankees.

Brendan Jones, the Yankees' No. 29 prospect, joined Lagrange and Riggio in Somerset as well. Jones posted a .236/.349/.362 slash line with 35 R, 41 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 30 BB, and 23 SB in 44 games with the Renegades, leading the team in H, 3B, R, BB, and SB at the time of his promotion. Jones was selected by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

Cam Eden joined the Patriots on Tuesday as he returned off the 60-day injured list from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and was transferred to Somerset. Eden made his MLB debut with Toronto on 9/21/23 at the Yankees and was traded to New York on 8/8/24 in exchange for cash considerations.

All That Jazz: Yankees versatile infielder Jazz Chisholm rejoined the Yankees on Tuesday after rehabbing for three games with the Patriots at TD Bank Ballpark last week.

Chisholm, who has been out since April 30 with a right oblique strain, finished 3-for-9 with two singles, a double and a stolen base. He became the sixth Yankee to rehab with the club this season and the 42nd overall during the affiliation. He played five innings at third base on Thursday and six on Saturday before serving as the designated hitter for six innings in the series finale Sunday.

“I can’t wait to get back out there and help my team win,” Chisholm said.

Keeping Up With the Flo: Patriots catcher Rafael Flores blasted his Eastern League-leading 11th home run of the season against Akron on Sunday, finishing 1-for-4 with three RBIs.

After being honored as the Kevin Lawn Award winner as the Yankees’ Minor League Position Player of the Year in 2024, Flores has not skipped a beat in 2025. Entering action Tuesday night, he also leads the Eastern League in extra-base hits (24) and is the first player in the league to reach the 100 total-base mark, with 102.

Flores also ranks second in hits (56) and RBIs (37).

Mr. Jones: Spencer Jones, the Yankees No. 2 prospect, was activated from the injured list on Thursday after missing a little over three weeks. He had been sidelined since May 6.

“It was an intercostal injury,” Jones said. “It’s a rotator muscle under the oblique, between your ribs, essentially. It tightened up on me. Gave it a couple of days and got it checked out. Glad it wasn’t an oblique, but just a smaller muscle, which let me come back to play a lot faster. I feel amazing and I am very happy to be back.”

In three games against Akron last week, Jones went 3-for-8, walked twice, drove in a run, stole a base and scored four times.

Bombs Away: Somerset enters play this week leading the EL in homers with 54 and features a lineup sporting five of the leagues' 10 home run leaders. Rafael Flores (11-1st), Spencer Jones (9-T2nd), Tyler Hardman (8-T5th), Dylan Jasso (8-T5th) and Garrett Martin (8-T5th).

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble: The Yankees took two of three from the crosstown-rival Mets last month, and Somerset hopes to follow suit when it opens a vital six-game slate with division-leading Binghamton on Tuesday night — the first of three meetings between the two clubs this season.

The Rumble Ponies have been one of the top teams in the Eastern League this season, fueled by a stellar pitching staff that owns a 2.99 ERA (second in the league), has struck out a league-high 517 batters and is holding opponents to a .199 batting average — the best mark in the EL.

Binghamton features three of the Mets’ top five prospects: shortstop/outfielder Jett Williams (No. 1), pitcher Jonah Tong (No. 4) and first baseman/outfielder Ryan Clifford (No. 5).

A case could be made that the 21-year-old Tong has been the best starter in the Eastern League this season. In nine starts for the Mets’ Double-A affiliate, he has struck out a league-leading 72 batters in just 44 innings, posted a league-best 2.25 ERA and held opponents to a .151 average. In five starts in May, Tong allowed just four earned runs and fanned 42 batters in 26.2 innings.

Series Pitching Probables:

Tue: RHP Trent Sellers (1-1, 3.19 ERA) vs. RHP Joander Suarez (1-1, 2.45 ERA)
Wed: RHP Brendan Beck (4-1, 2.33 ERA) vs. RHP Jonah Tong (3-3, 2.25 ERA)
Thu: RHP Trystan Vrieling (0-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. LHP Zach Thornton (2-0, 2.30 ERA)
Fri: RHP Bailey Dees (1-4, 5.02 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Wenninger (6-2, 2.56 ERA)
Sat: RHP Carlos Lagrange (Double-A debut) vs. TBD
Sun: RHP Trent Sellers (1-1, 3.19 ERA) vs. RHP Joander Suarez (1-1, 2.45 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.