The Somerset Patriots are sixteen games into their season, and so far, it has been quite a roller coaster. The team is coming off a series split against the Reading Fightin’ Phils and a 1-1 start against the Richmond Flying Squirrels. They are currently tied for fourth place with the Hartford Yard Goats in the Eastern League Northeast with a record of 7-9, sitting just below the 8-8 Portland Sea Dogs. The 8-7 New Hampshire Fisher Cats currently lead the Northeast division, but with it being so early into the season, things are bound to change.
The Patriots opened against the Portland Sea Dogs on April 3, in an astonishing 18-3 victory. Yet less than a day later, they fell 1-0. Due to inclement weather and scheduling, the mini-series concluded with both teams taking home a win.
After a rest day on April 6 and a weather cancellation on the 7th, they went back to work the following Wednesday. This time in their first full series for the 2026 season against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The series began with the Patriots taking two losses that Wednesday, losing 3-1 and 2-1. Despite this, they came back the next day and took a strong 12-2 win. The series continued with Binghamton eventually taking two more wins and the Patriots one, ending with the Patriots finishing the series 2-4.
The next week, the team took on Reading. The week began with the Patriots taking a 9-6 win over the Fightin’ Phils, but losing the following day 8-6. On Thursday, they answered back and won another game, this time a close 9-8 victory. As the series was halfway complete, the teams stood with the Patriots at two wins and the Fightin’ Phils at one. Despite the Patriots’ previous lead, this was not a deterrent for Reading, and they ended up taking two more wins and Somerset one. The series came to an end with both teams going home with three wins. At the conclusion of the week, the Patriots were 8-6.
Somerset is currently in the midst of its series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Southwest Division. They began with an 8-5 defeat, but just yesterday they came back and won 9-8. With one win each and four more games ahead, it is anyone’s series.
Diving into the inner workings of the team, a few players have emerged as offensive leaders so far. George Lombard and Marco Luciano currently lead the team in runs and home runs, both totaling 16 runs and six home runs so far. Not far behind them are Coby Morales with 13 runs and DJ Gladney with 11 runs. Morales is also the current RBI leader at 15, followed closely by Tyler Hardman (13). Some other key players to note are Kenedy Corona, who leads the team in stolen bases with six, and Nicholas Torres, who holds the highest batting average of .467.
On the pitching side of things, the Patriots take advantage of their large but strong group. 21 players have made their way to the mound so far this season, but a few players have really shown up. Ben Hess currently holds an ERA of 3.52, with 14 strikeouts, and has only allowed three runs. With his lethal fastball and consistency on the mound, Hess has been a huge asset to the team. Trent Sellers is also an important player to mention, yet his contribution to the team is slightly different. Many would consider Sellers as a “hit or miss” pitcher. His contrasting statistics of a 10.50 ERA but a team-leading 17 strikeouts definitely have an impact on the team. Beyond those two, make sure to keep an eye out for the talented Kyle Carr, Will Brian, and Chase Chaney, who are not to be underestimated.
Two players that are important to mention are Gerrit Cole and Anthony Volpe, both powerhouses in the MLB and currently in the MiLB. Both players are on rehabilitation assignments. Cole spent a few weeks with Somerset but was recently moved to the Hudson Valley Renegades to complete his recovery. Similarly, Volpe spent a quick week with the Patriots, also as a part of his assignment, until he was moved up to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on the 21st.
The Somerset Patriots have a long but bright road ahead of them, with a combination of great matchups and great players; things are looking good for them. Tune in for their next game on the road against the Flying Squirrels on April 23 at 7:05 p.m. There is tons to look forward to and a lot of excitement surrounding the future of the Patriots at TD Bank Ballpark, so make sure to keep up!
