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Somerset Patriots Add Three Including Two Major Leaguers

cousins-santos-atkinsBridgewater, NJ – The Somerset Patriots have announced the signings of outfielders Scott Cousins and Adalberto Santos and the return of former Major League pitcher Mitch Atkins.

Cousins begins his first season with the Patriots with four years of Major League service to his name. He spent parts of 2010-12 in the majors with the Miami Marlins before appearing in seven games with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2013.

 

Over his four years in the big leagues, Cousins played in 135 games, hitting two home runs with nine RBI.

The former third-round draft pick by the Marlins has eight seasons of minor league experience, including a 2010 season where he hit .285 with 14 home runs and 12 stolen bases for Triple-A New Orleans.

 

The Reno, Nevada native has hit .275 with 63 home runs, 299 RBI, 94 stolen bases in 579 games in the minors.

 

“Cousins is a rare talent that can be hard to find when building a team,” Somerset Patriots Manager Brett Jodie said. “Scott is a plus defender at all three outfield positions, can hit for power, average and is also a good base stealer. On top of all that, Scott can also pitch from the left side.”

 

Santos enters his first season in Somerset. The infielder/outfielder has five seasons of minor league service, split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants organizations.

 

The Bronx, New York native spent the first four seasons of his career in the Pirates farm system. He reached as high as Triple-A Indianapolis in 2014 before he was traded to the Giants, where he appeared in 23 games with Triple-A Fresno.

 

Santos has posted a batting average above .300 in three of his five seasons in professional baseball, including a .340 batting average over 68 games with Double-A Altoona in 2012. Overall, he carries a .303 career average with 18 home runs, 173 RBI and 86 stolen bases in 410 games.

 

“Santos is a very exciting player,” said Jodie. “He has great speed, can play all over the place and can also swing the bat very well. We are looking for him to compete at third base and in a utility-type role.”

 

This will be Atkins’ second stint with the Patriots; he last played in Somerset in 2013. That season, he went 3-2 with a 3.98 earned run average and 39 strikeouts in seven starts. The Atlanta Braves signed him later that season, where he went 5-2 with a 3.47 ERA in 17 appearances (16 starts) with Double-A Mississippi.

 

The Browns Summit, North Carolina native has made 10 appearances (three starts) in the majors spread across three seasons. He made seven appearances with the Chicago Cubs from 2009-10, and three starts with the Baltimore Orioles in 2011. Atkins never factored into a decision, striking out 17 batters over 22.2 innings pitched.

 

The former seventh-round pick of the Cubs split 2014 in the Braves organization between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett. Atkins owns an 85-69 record over 11 seasons in the minors.

 

“We are very fortunate to have Atkins back in the Patriots’ rotation,” said Jodie. Mitch is a polished pitcher with a great idea of what he is doing on the mound. He is a workhorse both on the mound and through his work ethic.”

 

For information about the Somerset Patriots 2015 Season, stop by the Ticket Office located at TD Bank Ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit the Patriots on-line at www.somersetpatriots.com.

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