The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Bridgewater, NJ- The Somerset Patriots have announced the signings of shortstop Luis Mateo and right-handed pitcher Rob Bryson.
Mateo enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and first in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The 26 year-old owns three seasons of service at the Triple-A level, most recently in 2015 with the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles). Mateo began 2015 with Double-A Tulsa, earning Mid-Season All-Star honors in the Texas League before earning his promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City later that season.
The Bayamon, Puerto Rico native began his career as an 18 year-old in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He spent seven years with the Cardinals, including an All-Star season in 2012 with Single-A Quad Cities. That year, Mateo hit 12 home runs with 64 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
Mateo played with Triple-A Memphis in 2013 and 2014 before joining the Dodgers organization the next year. The 2008 20th-round draft pick has hit 36 home runs with 234 RBI and 79 stolen bases in his eight-year professional career.
Bryson also enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and second in the Atlantic League. The righty appeared in 51 games as a relief pitcher for the Camden Riversharks last year and posted a 2.41 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 52.1 innings of work.
The Newark, Delaware native was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers, but spent the majority of his professional career in the Cleveland Indians organization. He spent six years with the Indians and reached Triple-A Columbus in 2013.
Used primarily as a reliever, Bryson has enjoyed five seasons with a total ERA under 3.00, including a 2.62 ERA over 43 relief appearances with Double-A Akron in 2012. Overall, the 31st-round draft pick is 21-13 with a 3.67 ERA and 18 saves over 185 appearances (15 starts) in his seven-year professional career.
Bryson has been activated for tonight’s game in Southern Maryland. Mateo is expected to join the team on Thursday. The Somerset Patriots have placed catcher Mike Kerns on the inactive list.
The 2016 Somerset Patriots Season Presented By Ford is underway. For more information or to purchase tickets for the 2016 season, 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 34 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
