BRIDGEWATER – Harrison Cohen knows this isn’t the end of the world.
On the surface, getting sent back down to the Double-A Somerset Patriots certainly isn’t ideal, but the 27-year-old right-handed reliever still remains very much in the New York Yankees’ plans moving forward.
The organization was left with little choice for its No. 27 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, with a 9.00 ERA over his first 14 outings for Triple-A Scranton this season, albeit with those numbers somewhat skewed by a few rough showings, including back-to-back appearances in which he combined to allow eight runs over just 1 2/3 innings.
But the gregarious New Hyde Park native remains upbeat for good reason: He’s bounced back with two scoreless outings since returning to Somerset in what’s been a “disappointing” overall start to his 2026 campaign.
“I expect a lot more out of myself, and it’s definitely been a frustrating couple months with regards to command and results in general,” Cohen told MyCentralJersey.com.
“I know that’s not me, and I’m really just trying to hit the reset button and get back to who I am out there. I’m excited to get out there every single day I can and get back to competing and showing off my stuff as best I can.”
Somerset Patriots reliever Harrison Cohen pitches during a game in Bridgewater as he works to rebound after a stint in Triple-A Scranton.
Indeed, those Triple-A numbers aren’t reflective of the pitcher Cohen has been since joining the Yankees as an undrafted free agent after finding success as a collegiate starter at George Washington. Over his past two full seasons, he’s held hitters to a .155 average while posting a 1.62 ERA, and he was expected to compete for a big league bullpen job at some point this year.
Instead, it’s been the opposite, with the Team Israel standout at the most recent World Baseball Classic seemingly taking a step back this year.
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The question is obvious: Why?
“It’s a little harder to pinpoint it per se, because there were some good stretches of outings mixed in there too,” Cohen said. “A couple tough ones skewed the numbers and how they may look, but overall, I’ve been falling behind and not putting myself in good counts, which elevates walks. My overall strike rate was probably a little bit lower. The biggest thing was just not putting myself in advantage counts, which means I either lose guys on walks or I’m trying to get back into a count and giving up some hard contact.”
At 27 and without previous big league time, the path is narrower than it may be for others, despite both his stuff and prior success. But even when things snowballed in Scranton, Cohen was able to maintain a positive mindset despite the pressure of needing to continue progressing within the organization.
“I definitely pride myself in trying to be as mentally strong and tough as I can be,” he said. “But I would find myself falling into negativity or negative thoughts. I wasn’t really thinking about being demoted or released, more eager about getting back on the mound after those last two outings. My approach being back here is that it’s a reset. It’s a great group of guys, a good team and a great area to be a part of. At the end of the day, I get to play baseball. I want to control what I can control, and that’s what I do on a day-in, day-out basis. For right now, it’s focusing on where my feet are. Keep going, keep working.”
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There’s recent precedent that shows he can do just that. Close friend Eric Reyzelman, a fellow Top 30 bullpen prospect in the organization, began this season back with Somerset after an injury-shortened and injury-affected season in Triple-A last year, before being promoted back to Triple-A Scranton in late May.
While the circumstances were notably different – Reyzelman underwent back surgery, which also kept him from joining Cohen on Team Israel in the WBC – the path back through Double-A can be a positive with the right attitude, one Cohen clearly has.
“You’re happy to see a guy like that who set the world on fire in 2024, had his injury last year and then starts out here and just dominates,” Cohen said. “It’s a credit to him, and it’s cool to see him get back. You really want to follow a path like that. Continuing to build off each outing and everything you can learn while you’re out here, or implementing something to get back, it’s definitely a focus of mine.”
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Yankees reliever Cohen resets in Somerset after Triple-A struggles