Around the League

Patriots Add MLB Infielder Rey Navarro and Pitcher James Ziemba


(Bridgewater, N.J., April 15, 2019) - The Somerset Patriots have announced the signing of Major League infielder Rey Navarro and local left-handed pitcher James Ziemba.

Navarro enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and second season in the Atlantic League. He briefly played for the Sugar Land Skeeters in 2018 and hit .545 with two home runs before having his contract purchased by the New York Yankees.

Navarro has Major League service with the Baltimore Orioles, where he appeared in ten games during the 2015 season. For his MLB career, Navarro has a .276 batting average with five runs scored, eight hits, two doubles, a home run and three RBI.

The Caguas, Puerto Rico native’s baseball career began back in 2007 as a third-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He would complete three years of service with the organization before getting traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2010.

He spent the 2018 season at the Double-A level for the Seattle Mariners and Yankees organizations. In 2017, Navarro had a strong year at Triple-A Salt Lake, posting a .278 average with 137 hits, seven home runs and 82 RBI.

Navarro also has minor league service with the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Angels. Over 1,224 minor league games, Navarro owns a .263 average with 72 home runs, 516 RBI and 88 stolen bases.

In addition to Navarro, the Patriots boosted their pitching staff by signing Ziemba, a New Brunswick native entering his first season with the Somerset Patriots and the Atlantic League.

The 24-year old lefty is a Duke University alumni that spent the past two seasons in the Angels farm system.

After a successful high school career with St. Joseph’s in Edison, Ziemba was a 22nd round selection in the 2017 MLB Amateur draft by the Angels.

In his two professional seasons with Orem (Pioneer League) and Burlington (Midwest League), he owns an 8-2 record with a 3.76 ERA and 94 strikeouts in over 110 innings of work.

The Somerset Patriots will be back in action on Friday, April 26th for Opening Day at TD Bank Ballpark. 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 900 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 40 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 22-year history.

For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.
 

###



Search Archive »




Browse by Year »

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015

Browse by Month »

March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015