Three Patriots Included In Deal To Bring Juan Soto To The Yankees
Bridgewater, New Jersey – Three former Somerset Patriots were part of the blockbuster trade deal that brought OF Juan Soto to the Bronx.
Bridgewater, New Jersey – Three former Somerset Patriots were part of the blockbuster trade deal that brought OF Juan Soto to the Bronx.
Welcome to the Yankees family, Juan Soto!🙌🏽 https://t.co/RlQ817FGwQ
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) December 7, 2023
The New York Yankees acquired Soto, a three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, from the San Diego Padres in exchange for RHP Michael King, C Kyle Higashioka, RHP Jhony Brito, RHP Randy Vasquez and RHP Drew Thorpe on 12/6/23. Two-time Gold Glove-winning OF Trent Grisham was also acquired by New York in the trade.
One of MLB’s brightest young stars, Soto, 25, hit .275/.410/.519 with 97 R, 32 2B, a 3B, 35 HR, 109 RBI, 132 BB and 12 SB in 162 games with the Padres in 2023. He set career-highs in home runs and games played and tied his career bests in doubles and stolen bases. Soto was also one of just four Major League players to appear in all 162 games and the only outfielder to do so.
Over six MLB seasons with the Washington Nationals (2018-22) and Padres (2022-23), Soto has hit .284/.421/.524 with 527 R, 148 2B, 11 3B, 160 HR, 483 RBI, 640 BB and 50 SB in 779 games.
An All-Star in each of the least three seasons (2021-23) and Silver Slugger Award winner in each of the last four (2020-23), Soto has been named to the All-MLB First Team twice (2020-21) and won the National League batting title in 2020 with a .351 average.
The Santo Domingo, D.R., native was originally signed by the Nationals as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2015. He was acquired by San Diego along with INF Josh Bell in exchange for INF C.J. Abrams, LHP MacKenzie Gore, INF Luke Voit, OF Robert Hassell III, OF James Wood and RHP Jarlin Susana on August 2, 2022.
The trade package to secure a talent of Soto’s caliber required some of the Yankees' top young arms that stood out during their time in Double-A Somerset over the past few seasons.
Best of luck to Drew Thorpe, who has been traded to the @Padres in a package for Juan Soto!👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/2UK0JuDRxg
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) December 7, 2023
Thorpe, 23, was recently named the 2023 MiLB Pitching Prospect of the Year after combining to go 14-2 with a 2.52 ERA and 182 K over 139.1 IP in 23 starts with High-A Hudson Valley and Double-A Somerset. He topped all of MiLB in strikeouts and ranked among the leaders in W (T-2nd), WHIP (2nd), ERA (4th) and AVG (6th).
After being promoted to the Patriots, Thorpe went undefeated at 4-0 with a 1.48 ERA, 44 K, 0.66 WHIP and .144 AVG over 30.1 IP in five starts. In his Double-A debut on 8/11, he struck out nine over eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball. He followed that game up with a 12-strikeout performance over 6.2 innings in his second start.
Thorpe had 10 or more strikeouts in five games this season, including a career-high 13 on 7/22 vs. Brooklyn. He recorded seven or more strikeouts in 17 of his 23 starts.
With Somerset, Thorpe was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Month (August) and the Pitcher of the Week (8/13).
The Washington, Utah, native was selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft out of Cal Poly (California).
Wishing the best to Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez, who have been traded to the @Padres for Juan Soto!✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/ioKpOMeHz0
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) December 7, 2023
Vasquez starred for Somerset during a 2022 Eastern League Championship season. The Navarrete, D.R. native pitched the entire season at Double-A and finished with a 3.90 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP and 120 K in 25 games started. Vasquez started a championship-clinching no-hitter in Game 3 of the Eastern League Championship Series against the Erie SeaWolves and went eight hitless innings (six perfect) and struck out eight in a 15-0 rout.
Vasquez, 25, made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2023, going 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA and 33 K over 37.2 IP in 11 games (five starts). The right-handed pitcher also made 17 starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 3-8 with a 4.59 ERA and 96 K in 80.1 IP.
Over five minor league seasons with the Yankees (2018-19, ’21-23), Vasquez went 18-21 with a 3.41 ERA and 427 K over 388.0 IP in 85 games (81 starts). He was originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 5/21/18.
Brito, 25, had two stints in Somerset in 2021 and 2022 where he combined for an 8-5 record with a 3.76 ERA and 83 K over 88.2 IP in 16 games started.
Brito saw his first Major League action with the Yankees in 2023, going 9-7 with a save and a 4.28 ERA and 72 K in 90.1 IP in 25 games (13 starts). The right-handed pitcher also made seven starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this year, going 2-2 with a 5.45 ERA and 33 K in 36.1 IP.
Over six minor league seasons with the Yankees (2016-17, ’19, ’21-23), Brito went 28-23 with two saves and a 3.86 ERA and 377 K over 429.0 IP in 93 games (77 starts). The Puerto Plata, D.R., native was originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 11/9/15.