The Somerset Patriots have announced that left-handed pitcher and Major League Baseball veteran Aaron Laffey has been signed for the 2017 season.
“I have heard nothing but just great things about Somerset,” Laffey said. “My goal is to get back to the majors, and the Atlantic League is the best place for me to start that journey. With the attendance, facilities and winning atmosphere [in Somerset], it made sense as the best place for me.”
Laffey enters his first season with the Patriots and first in the Atlantic League. The veteran southpaw has eight years of service in the big leagues, including four seasons with the Cleveland Indians (2007-10), half of a season split between the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees (2011) and time with the Toronto Blue Jays (2012-13), New York Mets (2013) and Colorado Rockies (2015). Over 156 games in the majors (68 starts), Laffey recorded 26 wins with a 4.44 ERA in 494.1 innings of work.
The Ridgeley, West Virginia, resident has split time in each of the last six seasons between the majors and the Triple-A level. Last year, Laffey went 6-6 with a 3.82 ERA over 29 games (14 starts) with Triple-A Syracuse in the Washington Nationals organization. The year prior, he went 5-4 over 27 games (12 starts) with Triple-A Albuquerque before earning a promotion to the majors with the Rockies. Laffey carries a 47-38 record over 157 games (114 starts) at the Triple-A level.
“We are very excited to add a solid veteran left-hander to our staff in Laffey,” Somerset Patriots manager Brett Jodie said. “Aaron has a ton of high-level experience and has done extremely well in the big leagues. He knows how to pitch and has been putting up consistent results for many years. Aaron will be one of the leaders of our pitching staff this year, and we are thrilled to have him.”
The 16th-round draft pick in 2003 owns an 80-59 record with a 4.10 ERA and three saves over 14 professional seasons in minor league baseball.
Tickets to the 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford, which includes the team’s 20th anniversary, are on sale now. TD Bank Ballpark will be the host of the 2017 Atlantic League All-Star Game presented by RWJBarnabas Health and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey July 12. For more information, stop by the ballpark, call 908-252-0700 or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
