Former New York Met Zach Lutz Signed By Somerset Patriots
Bridgewater, NJ – The Somerset Patriots have announced that Major League infielder and former New York Met Zach Lutz has been signed for the 2017 season.
“I am excited to join the winning tradition I have heard about in Somerset,” said Lutz. “I am pleased to be a part of everything that is going on here, and am looking forward to helping us win any way that I can.”
Lutz enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and first in the Atlantic League. The Major Leaguer spent two years at the game’s highest level with the New York Mets (2012-13). Over those two seasons, Lutz appeared in 22 games and went 7-31 at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBI.
The Reading, Pennsylvania native has played exclusively at the Triple-A level domestically over the last four seasons, including a 2013 season with Triple-A Las Vegas in which he hit .293 with 13 home runs and 80 RBI over 111 games.
Lutz also excelled in 2012 with Triple-A Buffalo, where he hit .299 with 10 home runs over 72 games before earning a call-up to the Mets.
“We are very happy to have Zach join our organization,” said Somerset Patriots manager Brett Jodie. “I believe he is eager to get back on the field and excited to help the Patriots win some ball games. Zach is an RBI producer at the plate and a very accomplished defender at the corners. Our goal is for Zach to show teams he is healthy and playing well so he can get his opportunity to return to the Major League level.”
Over his career, Lutz has spent the majority of his time defensively at third base, including 27 errorless innings in the majors. He also spent 10 innings in the majors at first base, and has appeared in 75 games at that position over his minor league career.
The fifth-round draft pick from Alvernia University is the school’s all-time leader in batting average (.445) and doubles (51), while ranking second in slugging (.779), third in on-base percentage (.517) and RBI (197), fourth in home runs (32) and fifth in hits (212).
He has hit .282 with 76 home runs and 332 RBI over his 10-year minor league career.
Tickets to the 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford, which includes the team’s 20th Anniversary and the Atlantic League All-Star Game at TD Bank Ballpark, are on sale now. For more information, stop by TD Bank Ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
About The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 36 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15% of the US population.
For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.