Boone enters his second season with the Somerset Patriots and second in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. Last year, Boone went 5-3 with a 2.79 ERA over 16 starts with the Patriots, including a 12-start stretch from May 2 through July 4 in which he did not suffer a loss.

Boone’s strong play in Somerset was highlighted by a complete-game, four-hit shutout against the Bridgeport Bluefish on June 18at TD Bank Ballpark. The Austin, Texas native needed just 86 pitches to mow through the Bluefish lineup, facing just three batters over the minimum.

The righty made his last start with Somerset on July 22nd before signing with the Uni-President 7-11 Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan.

The University of Texas alumnus has three seasons of service in Triple-A and has played at the Double-A level in five seasons prior to joining Somerset. Boone split time between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo in 2014 with career-bests in ERA (2.79) and saves (10) over 45 appearances.

In addition, his 55 strikeouts over 58 innings pitched provided the former seventh-round draft pick with a career-best 8.5 strikeout-per-nine inning ratio.

Boone owns a career 3.74 ERA with 506 strikeouts over 727.2 innings pitched in 179 appearances.