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Gomez is First Ever Patriots Player to Go Directly to Majors

A bit of history was made Friday afternoon, as right handed pitcher Yoendrys Gomez has been called up to the New York Yankees after spending the entire season in Double-A…

Yoendrys Gomez

Somerset Patriots Pitcher Yoendrys Gomez has been called up to the Big Leagues. Photo: Somerset Patriots.

A bit of history was made Friday afternoon, as right handed pitcher Yoendrys Gomez has been called up to the New York Yankees after spending the entire season in Double-A Somerset.

It's historic because, Gomez is the first player in Somerset Patriots history to get a direct call up to the Majors from Double-A. According to a press release issued by the Somerset Patriots,  Gomez "becomes the 10th player this year to make his MLB debut after time in Somerset and the 26th overall since the team became the Yankees Double-A affiliate in 2021."

Overall, Gomez was 0-3 with a 3.58 ERA. In 65.1 innings pitched he struck out 78 batters for Somerset this season.

A key member of the Patriots Double-A Eastern League Championship in 2002, Gomez did not pitch in the Patriots two playoff games against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies this week.

Gomez is ranked 26th among the Yankees top 30 prospects. As mentioned, he joins a long list of players who have passed through TD Bank Ballpark on the way to the Bronx. He joins the likes of Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, Jasson Dominguez, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Estavan Florial have all made their bones in Somerset before making it eventually to the Big Leagues.

The right-handed Gomez was signed out of Venezuela by the Yankees back in 2016.

CLOSING TIME

Meanwhile, Manager Raul Dominguez spoke with reporters prior to the Patriots playoff game against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. While it was hours before Somerset would fall in Game 2 of the series to the Ponies, Dominguez was very reflective on his first season in Somerset as Skipper, adding he would hope to be back in Bridgewater next summer at the top step of the dugout.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.