Jon Hunton - Atlantic League All-Time Career Save Leader

(Top) Autographed 2013 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #14
(BL) Autographed 2014 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #20
(BR) Autographed 2015 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #19

Drafter in the 11^th round of the 2004 draft by the Chicago Cubs, Jon Hunton would achieve the Triple-A level within the Oakland A’s organization in 2010.

After briefs roster stints with Lancaster (2007), Somerset (2008) and Long Island (2011/12), the Plainfield, NJ native would come home and find a home with the Somerset Patriots in 2013 becoming the premier closer in the Atlantic League with three consecutive, 30-save seasons. In 2014, he established the single-season Atlantic League save record with 49 saves. During this three-year period, Hunton would save an incredible 45% of the Patriots victories.

With this dominance, the 6’9” closer would establish the Atlantic League career saves record on May 10, 2016, eclipsing Southern Maryland's Jim Ed Warden’s career total with 135 saves.

As a significant member of the 2015 Somerset championship team, Hunton claims off-the-field contributions to this banner as well, as Hunton also has been serving in the dual role of the team’s Director of Player Personnel since the 2014 season.

Jake Fox - 2013 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 2013 Somerset Patriots Choice Team Set #10 (MVP Card)

Drafted in the third round by the Chicago Cubs of the 2003 MLB Draft out of Michigan, Jake Fox experienced playing time in the majors in 2007 and 2009 (Cubs), 2010 (Oakland and Baltimore) and in 2011 (Baltimore) hitting a total of 20 home runs and 73 RBI’s with a .425 career slugging percentage.

The corner infielder and catcher would enter the Atlantic League in 2012 batting .388 with Somerset and claim the 2013 Atlantic League Player of the Year Award a year later. That year Fox would hit .310 with 25 home runs and 82 RBI’s despite playing in only 96 games. With 23 doubles as well, Fox’s slugging percentage would reach .572.

With this 2013 MVP season, Fox would draw interest and be signed by the Diamondbacks. In 2014, Fox would be signed with the Phillies and by 2015, after a brief stop with Toronto, Fox would sign a lucrative deal to play the season in Korea.

Bill Madlock - 4X NL Batting Champ & Newark Bears Manager

Autographed 2004 Newark Bears Choice Team Set #27
Autographed Atlantic League Baseball Inscribed "Newark Bears MGR 2003-04"

With a major league career batting average of .305 and four National League Batting Championships (1975,1976, 1981 and 1983) to his name, Bill Madlock became the 3rd manager of the Atlantic League’s Newark Bears taking the helm for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Nicknamed “Mad Dog” for his ability to get riled up with umpires, Madlock’s two-year managerial tenure saw some of the most recognizable MLB names in Atlantic League history on his rosters including Jamie Navarro, Jose Lima and the 44-year-old All-Time Stolen Base King Rickey Henderson.

Madlock quibbed about having the elite base stealer on his Bear’s teams, ”I had the greatest base stealer in the world those years, and if you don’t believe me you can ask him yourself and he will tell you the same thing…”

Gary Gaetti - 4X Gold Glove Award Winner and 1987 ALCS MVP

Autographed 2012 Sugar Land Skeeters Choice Team Set #3

Signed by the Minnesota Twins in 1979, Gary Gaetti was instrumental in helping the Twins win their first-ever World Championship in 1987, by his play in the American League Championship Series upsetting the Detroit Tigers. For his efforts, Gaetti was named the 1987 ALCS MVP with 2 home runs, 5 RBI’s and a .650 slugging percentage in the 5-game series.

The 4-time, consecutive Gold Glove third baseman (1986-1989), and two-time All Star (1988/89), was inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2007.

Gaetti was named the Sugar Land Skeeters manager in their inaugural season in 2012, and went on to lead his team to 95 wins and a .679 winning percentage in 2013 – an Atlantic League Record.

Kinnis Pledger - 1998 Atlantic League Player of the Year

Autographed 1998 Bridgeport Bluefish Multi-Ad Team Set #23 (MVP Card);
Autographed 2000 Bridgeport Bluefish Multi-Ad Team Set #2

Selected by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 1987 Amateur Draft, Kinnis Pledger went on to reach the Triple-A level with both the White Sox (1990) and Chicago Cubs’ organizations (1994/95) prior to arriving in the Atlantic League.

The power-hitting, Arkansas native was the inaugural 1st baseman for the Bridgeport Bluefish when the franchise was established upon the formation of the Atlantic League in 1998. 

In that inaugural year of 1998, Pledger lit up the league batting .331 and slugging an incredible.625 with 26 home runs and 89 RBI’s. Pledger had such a dominant year that he finished in either first or second place in league batting for runs, hits, RBI's, total bases, OBP, OPS and slugging average.

This earned him selection as the first Atlantic League Player of the Year Award  – an honor he shared with Felix Jose of the Nashua Pride.

The award and his level of play in the Atlantic League drew the attention of the Seattle Mariners in 1999. During the Atlantic League All Star Game that year, Pledger was scratched from the Home Run Derby when the Seattle Mariners offered him a Triple-A contract.

Pledger retired in 2001, after 15 years in professional ball and to the appreciation of Bluefish fans who saw him play for four seasons.