The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Bridgewater, NJ- The Somerset Patriots have announced that six-year Major League veteran Jimmy Paredes has been re-signed for the 2020 season.
“I feel great coming back to the Patriots,” said Paredes. “It feels like I’m coming back home. Somerset is another family to me.” 
Paredes enters his second season with the Somerset Patriots and third in the Atlantic League. The former big leaguer posted strong numbers in his first season in Somerset despite missing the first two months of the season. After making his debut in late June, Paredes went on to hit .265 with 13 home runs and 45 RBI over 63 games. That includes an impressive month of September to end the season in which he hit .333 with five home runs, six doubles, 18 RBI and four stolen bases. Paredes finished the season on a 10-game hit stretch – over which he slashed .425 – and had reached base safely in 16 of his last 17 games.
The Dominican Republic countryman also briefly appeared in 21 games with the Lancaster Barnstormers in 2018, where he posted a .363 batting average with three home runs and 14 RBI over 21 games. Over 84 total games in his two seasons in the Atlantic League, Paredes reps a .289 average with 16 home runs, 59 RBI, seven stolen bases and a .480 slugging percentage.
“We could not wait to get Jimmy in last year and when we finally arrived, he started out with a bang,” said Somerset Patriots manager Brett Jodie. “Jimmy has the ability to take over a game and put the team on his back. He continues to get stronger and stronger and really has true power. He can play multiple positions for us and he is also a switch hitter who can do damage from both sides of the plate. It will really help to get Paredes here to start the season to get much needed reps and get comfortable as he looks to have a big year.”
Paredes spent parts of 2011-2016 in the Major Leagues, split between five different teams. He broke into the “bigs” with the Houston Astros in 2011 after he was acquired in a trade with right-handed pitcher Mark Melancon from the New York Yankees for 1B/OF Lance Berkman. Paredes spent three seasons with the Astros before he split 2014 between the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles.
His best season in the Majors came in 2015 with the Orioles, where he hit .275 over 104 games with 10 home runs and 42 RBI. Paredes then played seven games with the Blue Jays to begin 2016 before finishing the season with 76 games in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform.
The switch hitter hit .251 with 20 home runs, 100 RBI and 19 stolen bases over 332 games at the big league level.
The Somerset Patriots will be back in action on Friday, May 1st for Opening Day at TD Bank Ballpark. Single Game Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 2nd, but fans can purchase Ticket Packages and Flex Tickets now to get their seats early. Stay up to date on all the team news throughout the offseason online; on all of our social media platforms, and on our mobile app. For more information, visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
About The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
With eight teams in the Mid-Atlantic and Texas, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 950 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 42 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 22-year history.
For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.
