Somerset Patriots Have Signed MLB OF Brad Snyder

Bridgewater, NJ – The Somerset Patriots have announced the signing of Major League outfielder Brad Snyder.

“I spoke with [manager] Brett Jodie earlier and he got me real excited for the season,” said Snyder. “We should have a high-scoring offense with a top pitching staff. Looks like we will have a great team with a great chance to win.”

Snyder enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and in the Atlantic League. He brings three seasons of service at the Major League-level with him to Somerset, including two years with the Chicago Cubs (2010, 2011) and one with the Texas Rangers (2014). Overall, he has played in 30 games in the big leagues with two home runs, eight RBI, two doubles and five runs scored.

The Sandusky, Ohio native played with the Nexen Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization in 2015. Over 113 games in the KBO, Snyder hit .281 with 26 home runs, 71 RBI, 26 doubles and 88 runs scored. The year before, he hit .284 with 18 home runs and 51 RBI for Triple-A Round Rock before earning a call-up to the majors with the Rangers.

“It can sometimes be hard to find a complete player, but I think we found that guy in Brad Snyder,” manager Brett Jodie said. “He is very athletic, can play all three outfield positions and is a base-stealing threat. Brad can also hit for power and average, which is rare. He seems to be a very smart player that will bring a plan to the field everyday to maximize his potential.”

Snyder spent the six years of his professional career in the Cleveland Indians organization, reaching as high as Triple-A Buffalo in 2007 and 2008.

The Ball State University alumnus later enjoyed his best minor league season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in 2010. That year, Snyder hit .308 and finished second in the Pacific Coast League in RBI (102) and runs (97), fourth in home runs (25) and fifth in doubles (37), He also stole 19 bases as a teammate to future Major League All-Star and current Somerset Patriots teammate Bryan LaHair.

Snyder has played no lower than the Triple-A level since 2008, tallying a .288 average at that level. He has hit at least 10 home runs in each of his last 12 professional seasons, with at least double-digit stolen base totals in eight of those seasons.

The former first round pick of the Indians (18^th overall in 2003) owns a .285 career batting average in the minors with 185 home runs, 743 RBI, 276 doubles, 146 stolen bases and a .358 on-base percentage over 1,246 games played.
The Somerset Patriots won their Atlantic League leading sixth championship during the 2015 season. Tickets are now on-sale for the upcoming 2016 season and the schedule can be viewed at www.somersetpatriots.com. For more information or to purchase tickets for the 2016 season, stop by TD Bank Ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
The Atlantic League is the most innovative league in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball. In the league’s 18-year history, over 34 million fans have attended ALPB games and more than 800 players have joined MLB organizations.  The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcases the talent of top-caliber players and offers affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15% of the US population.  ALPB clubs serve the communities of Bridgeport and New Britain, Conn., Lancaster and York, Pa., Central Islip, N.Y., Bridgewater, N.J., Waldorf, Md., and Sugar Land, Texas. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com