BlueClaws Announce Break Camp Roster

JERSEY SHORE, NJ – The BlueClaws have, in conjunction with the Phillies, unveiled their 2024 Break Camp Roster, with the season set to open on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark. The roster is headed by Phillies top prospects Justin Crawford (#4 in the system per MLB Pipeline), Bryan Rincon (#8), William Bergolla (#12), Emaarion Boyd (#17), Hendry Mendez (#23), and Samuel Aldegheri (#24).

Greg Brodzinski, who led the BlueClaws to a league-best 73-58 mark last year and the BlueClaws first postseason appearance since 2018, returns for a second season at the helm.

The BlueClaws open the season on Friday, April 5^th with Opening Night at the Jersey Shore, presented by Jenkinson’s Boardwalk. Fireworks will follow the game. Tickets are on sale online at blueclaws.com.

The Break Camp Roster consists of the following players (click here to see a full PDF of the 2024 Break Camp Roster):

PITCHERS – Samuel Aldegheri, Jean Cabrera, Eiberson Castellano, Starlyn Castillo, Jack Dallas, Braedan Fausnaught, Daniel Harper, Nathan Karaffa, Charles King, Estibenzon Jimenez, Gunner Mayer, Wesley Moore, Jonathan Petit, Alex Rao, Mason Ronan, Andrew Walling, Danny Wilkinson

CATCHERS – Jordan Dissin, Ryan Leitch, Andrick Nava

INFIELDERS – Zach Arnold, William Bergolla, Erick Brito, Chad Castillo, Felix Reyes, Bryan Rincon

OUTFIELDERS – Emaarion Boyd, Justin Crawford, Cade Fergus, Hendry Mendez, Leandro Pineda, Troy Schreffler

Justin Crawford and Bryan Rincon, who were the 799^th and 800^th players to don the BlueClaws uniform when they debuted with the team on August 16^th, both open the 2024 season in ShoreTown. Crawford is the organization’s #4 prospect and Rincon the #8 prospect per MLB Pipeline.

Last year, Crawford, who was the Phillies first-round pick in 2022, hit .344 with Clearwater, adding in 40 stolen bases. He is the 16^th Phillies first-round pick to play for the BlueClaws, and the fourth since the team moved to High-A in 2021 (following Bryson Stott in 2021, and Mick Abel and Andrew Painter in 2022).

William Bergolla, the Phillies #12 prospect per MLB Pipeline, opens the season with the BlueClaws for his High-A debut. At 19 years, 5 months, and 17 days old on Opening Night, he will be the second youngest BlueClaw since the team moved to High-A in 2021. Only Andrew Painter, who made his BlueClaws debut at 19 years, 2 months, and 2 days old in 2022, was younger.

Emaarion Boyd makes his BlueClaws debut after stealing 56 bases last year to lead the Florida State League. Hendry Mendez makes his Phillies organizational debut this season after being acquired in a trade from the Brewers in November. He played last year for High-A Wisconsin in Milwaukee’s system.

Among the returnees are Felix Reyes, who hit a walk-off home run in the final BlueClaws regular season home game last year, and Leandro Pineda, who hit nine home runs with Jersey Shore last season and led the team with 67 RBIs.

Samuel Aldegheri, a 22 year old left-hander from Verona, Italy, returns to the BlueClaws after making four starts for the team last year. He went 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA with the Threshers before his late-season promotion.

Jean Cabrera makes his BlueClaws debut this year. The right-hander from Venezuela gave up one run in 12.1 postseason innings with the Threshers last season. In 2021, Cabrera won the Paul Owens Award as the Phillies top minor league pitcher, becoming the first 19 year old pitcher to win the Owens Award since Carlos Carrasco did so in 2006 while a member of the BlueClaws.

New Jersey native Danny Wilkinson will make his High-A debut this year with the BlueClaws. The 24 year old pitched at Villanova after Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, just 54 miles from ShoreTown Ballpark. Last year with Clearwater, he struck out 106 batters in 56.2 innings with a 41.9% strikeout rate.

The BlueClaws return a core group of relievers that helped the team reach the postseason last year. Jack Dallas went 7-2 with a 2.80 ERA over 23 games. Wesley Moore had a 1.91 ERA in 25 games with 40 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. Andrew Walling had three saves in 14 appearances while striking out 27 batters in 16.2 innings of work.

Brodzinski will be joined on the staff by pitching coaches Brad Bergesen and Matt Ellmyer, hitting coach Adam Lind, position coach Orlando Munoz, development coach Beth Greenwood, trainer Keita Isaji, and strength & conditioning coach John Sweeney.

The BlueClaws open the 2024 season on Friday night, Opening Night at the Jersey Shore presented by Jenkinson's Boardwalk. Tickets for Opening Night and all other BlueClaws home games are on sale now at BlueClaws.com.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-