The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Bridgewater, NJ- Somerset Patriots infielder Carlos Guzman has been named to the 2017 Atlantic League Red, White and Blue All-Defensive Team, the league announced Thursday. Guzman is the lone Patriot to make the team, and has been selected for his fine defensive season at first base.
The second-year Patriot finished second in the league in fielding percentage among first baseman (.997) with a minimum of 500 innings. He committed just two errors over 626 chances at first base. Additionally, Guzman finished third in the league in innings at first base (641.1) and put-outs (598). Only Travis Scott (Sugar Land) and Jon Griffin (New Britain) had more innings and chances at first base than Guzman; both of whom finished with at least five errors each. 
Possibly most impressive about Guzman’s season is that it was his first as an everyday first baseman. Prior to playing 76 games at first base in 2017, the Brooklyn native had played just 26 games at first in his professional career. That includes eight games at first with the Patriots in 2016.
In addition to his time at first base this season, Guzman also made seven appearances at third base and played 22 games in the outfield. Overall, he yielded just four errors over 666 chances in the field in 2017, good for a .996 fielding percentage.
Guzman also enjoyed success from the plate this year as he led the team in games (120), at-bats (454), hits (113) and finished second on the team in RBI (56).
This marks the second-straight season in which a Somerset Patriot has made the Red, White and Blue All-Defensive team. Last year, outfielder Aharon Eggleston was also recognized as one of the best defensive players in the Atlantic League.
The Somerset Patriots recently completed their 20th Season Anniversary in which they led the Atlantic League in attendance and made their 14th appearance in the playoffs. The Somerset Patriots will welcome their 7,000,000th fan in their 20th season at TD Bank Ballpark in 2018. For more information about the 2018 season, please 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 37 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.
