Bridgewater, NJ- The Somerset Patriots have announced that right-handed pitcher Vin Mazzaro’s contract has been purchased by the Cincinnati Reds organization. He will report directly to Triple-A Louisville.

Mazzaro appeared in three games with Somerset (two starts), tossing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just one hit. Additionally, Mazzaro did not allow a baserunner over his last two starts (five innings pitched).

Mazzaro was in his first season with the Somerset Patriots and in the Atlantic League. He has eight seasons of Major League service for the Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants. He pitched in two games for the Giants last season and has appeared in the Majors in each of the last eight seasons, dating back to 2009.

The Hackensack, New Jersey native’s best season in the big leagues came in 2013 with the Pirates, when he went 8-2 over 57 relief appearances with a 2.87 ERA and one save in 73.2 innings of work. Mazzaro has compiled a 24-23 record, 4.79 ERA and 233 strikeouts over 383 innings pitched in 140 games (45 started) at the Major League level.

The 2005 third-round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics out of Rutherford High School spent most of the 2016 season at the Triple-A level and finished with a 2-2 record, a 3.22 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 67 innings in 38 games pitched.

Entering his 12^th season in professional baseball this year, 11 of which were in Triple-A, Mazzaro held a minor league career record of 59-40 with a 3.76 ERA and 704 strikeouts over 383 innings pitched in 243 games (130 as a starter).

Mazzaro is the sixth Somerset Patriot to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization this season. Left-handed pitchers Jeremy Bleich and Logan Darnell both went to the Los Angeles Dodgers, right-handed pitchers Tyler Cloyd and Ryan Kelly joined the Seattle Mariners and southpaw Aaron Laffey went to the Arizona Diamondback. All six were assigned to Triple-A.

Tickets to the 2017 Somerset Patriots Season presented by Ford, which includes the team’s 20th Anniversary, are on sale now. TD Bank Ballpark will be the host of the 2017 Atlantic League All-Star Game presented by RWJBarnabas Health and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey on Wednesday, July 12^th. For more information, stop by the ballpark, call (908) 252-0700, or visit www.somersetpatriots.com.

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The Atlantic League has been a leader in professional baseball and a gateway to Major League Baseball since 1998. Over 36 million fans have attended Atlantic League games and more than 800 players and 50 managers and coaches have joined MLB organizations directly from the ALPB. The Atlantic League emphasizes winning baseball games, showcasing the talent of top-caliber players and offering affordable family entertainment to metropolitan markets serving nearly 15% of the US population.

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