Three Yankees Prospects Join Somerset, Including Red-Hot OF Aaron Palensky

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have announced the promotions of OF Aaron Palensky, LHP Edgar Barclay and RHP Danny Watson to the Double-A Somerset Patriots.

The @Yankees have announced the following transactions:
🔹Aaron Palensky and Danny Watson transferred from @HVRenegades to Somerset
🔹Edgar Barclay reinstated from @HVRenegades 7-Day IL, Transferred HV to SOM 
🔹 Indigo Diaz transferred SOM to HV  
🔹 Justin Maese released from… pic.twitter.com/mHK2keIzZw

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) May 30, 2023

Palensky has been red-hot since the start of the 2023 season for High-A Hudson Valley. He leads all Yankees minor leaguers in batting average (.352), home runs (12, T-1st), RBI (34, T-1st), slugging percentage (.744), OPS (1.178), extra-base hits (23, T-1st) and total bases (93). He is also second in the organization in OBP (.437) and triples (2, T-2nd), third in doubles (9, T-3rd), fourth in runs (29, T-4th), and sixth in stolen bases (10, T-6th).

Palensky heads to Somerset after earning South Atlantic League Player of the Week honors for the week of May 22-28. Over the week, Palensky put together five straight multi-hit games (May 23 – May 27), including three with three hits. During that stretch, Palensky is hitting .619 (13-for-21) with two home runs and seven RBI.

The Omaha, NE native made his professional debut with Somerset during the 2021 season and hit .216/.360/.378 with 24 hits, two home runs, 14 RBI and 11 runs in 37 games played.

Originally signed by the Yankees as a free agent on June 18, 2020, Palensky spent 2022 in Hudson Valley, where he slashed .251/.369/.475 over 77 games with 10 home runs, 34 RBI and 46 runs.

Barclay was an MiLB.com Yankees Organization All-Star in 2022, pitching to a 1.74 ERA for Hudson Valley, compiling 86 strikeouts over 67.2 innings, while holding opposing batters to a .177 average. Making four starts and 24 relief appearances, his ERA marked the lowest among pitchers in the Yankees system with at least 50 innings pitched last season.

The Hilo, HI native split his 2021 campaign between Low-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley, in which Barclay registered a career-high in innings pitched (77.1), and strikeouts (112).

The Yankees 15th round pick in 2019 out of Cal State Bakersfield, Barclay made 10 appearances for the GCL Yankees East and two for the High-A Tampa Tarpons following his selection in 2019. He combined to go 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 26 innings of relief.

Over three seasons with the Yankees system, Barclay has posted a career 2.58 ERA and 13-8 record with opposing batters hitting .191 against the southpaw.

Barclay began the 2023 season on the Hudson Valley injured list with elbow inflammation and will be making his Double-A debut.

Watson earns the promotion to Double-A following a stellar beginning to the season in the Hudson Valley bullpen, where the Albany, NY native pitched to a 1.48 ERA over 15 appearances in High-A, striking out 39 over 24.1 innings pitched.

Among pitchers in the Yankees organization with at least 20 innings pitched, Watson is currently second in ERA and WHIP (0.86), and third in K/9 (14.49) and opposing batting average (.140).

The Yankees 15th round draft pick in 2021, Watson spent the 2022 season with Low-A Tampa, posting a 4.01 ERA in 58.1 innings pitched with 66 strikeouts, leading the Tarpons in games pitched (38). He made three appearances with Tampa in his professional debut in 2021.

About the Somerset Patriots

The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots are the reigning Eastern League Champions and play their home games at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.