2005 Somerset Patriots' "Future Stars"

Autographed Jeff Nettles 2005 Somerset Patriots Multi-Ad Team Set #21
Autographed Ray Navarrete 2011 Long Island Ducks Choice Team Set #16
Autographed Jeremy Owens 2005 Somerset Patriots Multi-Ad Team Set #23
Joe Gannon 2008 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Updated Choice Team Set #2

Along with winning their third Atlantic League Championship in franchise history, the 2005 season marked a very special Somerset Patriots’ roster which was loaded with “Future Stars’ that would collectively have a significant impact on the history of the Atlantic League.

Jeff Nettles was entering his third season with the team and would go on to have the greatest career the Atlantic League has even seen eventually setting the career marks within the league for Games (1,006), At Bats (3,715), H’s (1,052) and RBI’s (667) and earning two championship series MVP’s.

Although not featured in the 2005 team card set, a Seton Hall Alumnus was entering his first year in the Atlantic League, the only season he would play for Somerset, and he would go on to become the league’s career leader in runs scored (635) and doubles (243). The Somerset rookie was Ray Navarrete who went on to have the greatest Long Island Duck career on record.

To date, both Nettles and Navarrete remain the only players to enter the Atlantic League’s 1,000-Hit Club.

Also in his first year with both the Atlantic League and Somerset that year was outfielder Jeremy Owens who would lead the team with at bats (525) in 2005. Owens would eventually go on to become the premiere franchise player for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs setting the club’s career marks in games played (734); runs scored (422); hits (601);  home runs (105); stolen bases (96); walks (318) and RBI’s( 337).

To underscore the historic significance of this team’s roster and the future impact these players would have on the League, these three aforementioned players own three out of the top four slots on the Atlantic League career home runs list. Imagine a lineup that would have featured Navarrete batting second, Nettles third and Owens fourth for close to the next decade if this Somerset team had stayed intact.

Position players were not the only significant consideration for “Future Stars” on this roster. A right-handed knuckleballer out of Buffalo was also in his first year with the Pat’s and started in two games. Joe Gannon, also not in this card set, would go on to pitch a no hitter (8/17/04) for the Newark Bears and currently stands 3^rd in all-time innings pitched (853.2), fourth in all-time wins (47) and fourth in all time strikeouts (479) in Atlantic League history.

Jeremy Owens - All-Time Southern Maryland Blue Crab Great

Autographed 2011 Southern Maryland Blue Crabs DAV Team Set #304

Reaching the AAA Level with three different organizations (San Diego, Boston and Tampa), Jeremy Owens began his Southern Maryland career with the team’s inception year of 2008, and went on to become the greatest position player in Blue Crab history.

Becoming Crustacean Nation’s face of the franchise by wearing the Columbia and navy blue for eight consecutive seasons (2009-14), Owens  went on to set the career Blue Crab franchise records across the offensive categories for: games played (734); runs scored (422); hits (601);  home runs (105); stolen bases (96); walks (318) and RBI’s( 337).

In 2009, the center fielder from Tennessee known for his hustle was distinguished by being named by Butch Hobson the first team captain in Blue Crab history.

Owens followed this honor by having his best year in Waldorf the following year (2010) where he led the Atlantic League in home runs with 28.

Owens finished his career with 129 home runs and 414 RBI’s which earns him fourth and eighth place in Atlantic League history respectively.