Matt Sauer Named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Official Somerset Patriots Press Release

Bridgewater, New Jersey – Minor League Baseball has named Somerset Patriots RHP Matt Sauer as the Double-A Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for August 22-28.

Sauer struck out a career single-game high 17 batters on Thursday, August 25 versus the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays).

Through eight stellar innings, also a career high, Sauer broke Somerset’s franchise single-game mark set by RHP Ray Davis with 16 on July 19, 2000 against the Bridgeport Bluefish (ALPB).

"I never thought a record was on the table at all," Sauer told MLB.com. "I was just trying to go out there and do my job, throw strike one. This is only my third start at Double-A, so it's really a blessing and an honor that I was able to do this. I just want to keep it going for the rest of the year. I just got to build off of this."

Sauer threw 95 pitches, 75 for strikes, during his record-breaking performance for Somerset. The 17 strikeouts were the most by any pitcher in MLB or MiLB this season and the highest strikeout total in affiliated baseball since 2019 (Randy Wynne, Cincinnati).

During the performance, Sauer struck out seven straight and 12 out of the first 14 batters faced.

After an outlier Double-A debut, the 6’4” hurler from Santa Maria, California has been dominant for Somerset in his next two starts. In Bowie on August 19, Sauer struck out 11 in 5.2 innings of work followed by his masterful performance on August 25.

The New York Yankees’ second-round (54th overall) selection in the 2017 Draft posted a 5-3 record and 3.77 ERA over 18 starts for High-A Hudson Valley this season. His 100 strikeouts in 88.1 innings led the Renegades pitching staff.

"That obviously gives me confidence going into my next start," Sauer added. "I was really just worried about going out and trying to dominate the zone."

Sauer is the seventh Patriot this season to receive MiLB honors. He is the fifth pitcher, joining RHP Jhony Brito (April 25 - May 1), RHP Randy Vasquez (May 9 - May 15), RHP Will Warren (July 4 - 11) and RHP Sean Boyle (July 12-19). Boyle was also named the Pitcher of the Month for July. Players of the Week include OF Blake Perkins (April 18 - April 24) and OF Elijah Dunham (August 8-14).

On the season, the Yankees organization ranks fifth in total MiLB honors with 22.