The Somerset Patriots have announced that left-handed pitcher Jeremy Bleich’s contract has been purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
Bleich appeared in two games this season and struck out two in 2.1 scoreless innings. He re-signed with the team in April after he spent time in spring training with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
This was Bleich’s second season with the Somerset Patriots and the Atlantic League. The 29-year-old joined the Patriots last July and appeared in 17 games out of the bullpen, pitching to a 2.45 ERA and recording 28 strikeouts against just three walks over 22 innings. He began the 2016 season in the Philadelphia Phillies organization with Double-A Reading, where he earned four victories over 29 games (one start).
He was selected in the first round (44th pick) by the New York Yankees in the 2008 draft. Bleich spent his first six professional seasons with the Yankees organization and reached Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2014.
The Stanford University alumnus also recently made three appearances with Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, striking out a pair of batters over 2.1 innings of work.
Over 201 career games (76 starts) in his eight-year professional career, the New Orleans, Louisiana, native owns a 3.83 ERA and 447 strikeouts in 556.1 career innings.
He is the first Somerset Patriots player to have his contract purchased this season and will report to Omaha, the Triple-A affiliate for the Dodgers organization.
