With professional baseball returning this week, the Somerset Patriots are introducing their new manager.

It is a new era for the team as it gears up for its first season as the New York Yankees AA affiliate. Leading the team is Julio Mosquera.

“The partnership with the Yankees and Somerset – I couldn’t get any more excited,” he says. “I know some history about our field, some history about our organization, and it’s awesome to be a part of it. It’s going to be an exciting year.”

Mosquera is the third manager in the team’s history. Most recently he managed the Charleston River Dogs.

A native of Panama, the former catcher had a 15-year playing career in different organizations, including the Yankees, Blue Jays and Brewers. He says that this experience will help him develop prospects.

“As long as you can communicate with people, you’re going to learn from people and have good relationships with people and I believe that’s something that’s going to help me from the pats and it’s something I strive to do every year,” Mosquera says.

With Opening Day more than a month away, Mosquera says that the roster is still shaping up. But he says that he is excited about the talent coming to the team.

“We have tremendous players and some of the pitchers that we have are outstanding and the position players we’re going to have on the team, they care and they are hungry and they are going to go out there and do the best they can,” he says.

Opening Day is May 4 against Harrisburg.