JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The Phillies announced their non-roster invites to Spring Training with several former BlueClaws earning a spot. 2024 BlueClaws Justin Crawford, Otto Kemp, and Aidan Miller are among the players on the list.

Former BlueClaws Among Phillies Spring Training Invitees

(years with BlueClaws)

Justin Crawford (2023-24), OF – Crawford, 21, was selected as the Paul Owens Award winner as the top hitter in the Phillies system in 2024 after slashing .313/.360/.444 (.804 OPS), going 143-for-457 with 25 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 61 RBI, 32 walks, 42 stolen bases and 79 runs scored in 110 total games between single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading. On July 13, the left-handed batter went 1-for-3 as the leadoff hitter for the National League in the All-Star Futures Game. During his time with Reading, Crawford ranked first in the Eastern League in batting average (.333), tied for second in hits (55) and stolen bases (15), tied for third in doubles (11), fifth in OPS (.835), sixth in slugging percentage (.455), tied for seventh in total bases (75), eighth in on-base percentage (.380) and tied for eighth in RBI (26). Crawford, who is currently ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies farm system and the No. 53 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, appeared in 93 games in center field and posted a .995 fielding percentage in 193 total chances last year. The Phoenix native was selected by Philadelphia in the first round (17th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Crawford finishes his time with the BlueClaws at .301 with 27 steals this season, adding a SAL-best 88 hits! https://t.co/5qBL94JtWr pic.twitter.com/kbYdiQt2P5

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) July 12, 2024

Tristan Garnett (2022-23), LHP – Garnett, made 31 relief appearances with double-A Reading last season and went 1-3, with a 2.87 ERA (12 ER, 37.2 IP) and 50 strikeouts to 26 walks. He held opposing hitters to a .197 batting average (27-137), which ranked sixth among Eastern League southpaws with at least 30 innings pitched. The 26-year-old also made one scoreless relief appearance with triple-A Lehigh Valley after being promoted in September. Garnett was originally signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent on July 20, 2021.

Otto Kemp (2023-24), INF – Originally signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent on July 28, 2022, Kemp, 25, combined to play in 123 games last season across four minor league levels and slashed .285/.392/.489 with an .881 OPS in 529 plate appearances. He tallied 49 extra-base hits (24 2B, 9 3B, 16 HR), 20 stolen bases and 52 walks. In 15 games for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League, the Fullerton, Calif., native slashed .289/.460/.733 and had six home runs and 11 walks over 63 plate appearances.

Otto Kemp starts a HUGE double-play to keep the Claws within 1-0 in the 6th! https://t.co/uDoFjvYZgo / @ballylive / https://t.co/sj3jRWBdY8 pic.twitter.com/KYOSUEZH5g

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) September 12, 2023

Matt Kroon (2019), INF/OF – A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Kroon will be a non-roster invitee to Phillies major league spring training for the second year in a row. The 28-year-old was selected by Philadelphia in the 18th round of the 2018 MLB Draft and has played all six of his professional seasons in the Phillies organization. Kroon played in 80 games for triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2024, slashing .251/.325/.441 (.766 OPS) with 14 doubles, 11 home runs, 38 RBI, 22 walks and 15 stolen bases. The right-handed hitter’s 93.8 stolen base percentage (15-16) was tied for fifth in the International League (min. 15 stolen bases). On defense, he played all three outfield positions for the IronPigs.

Griff McGarry (2022), RHP – The 25-year-old McGarry pitched in 29 games out of the bullpen for triple-A Lehigh Valley during the 2024 season and recorded a 4.70 ERA (16 ER, 30.2 IP) with a 2-1 record. Of the IronPigs pitchers to throw at least 250 four-seamers in 2024, McGarry’s average velocity of 94.1 mph ranked fourth. A non-roster invitee to Phillies major league spring training in 2024, the San Francisco native was originally selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 One for each Griff McGarry strikeout tonight. He faced six and he struck out six. pic.twitter.com/tMqnLVgaYq

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) April 20, 2022

Aidan Miller (2024), INF – The No. 26 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB.com and the top prospect in the Phillies minor league system, Miller appeared in 102 games last year between single-A Clearwater, single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading. He combined to slash .261/.366/.446 with an .811 OPS over 462 plate appearances while making 90 starts at shortstop. In 39 games for Clearwater, the Dunedin, Fla., native slashed .275/.401/.483 with an .884 OPS and had 26 walks to 39 strikeouts in 182 plate appearances. The starting shortstop for the National League team in the All-Star Futures Game, Miller, 20, was selected by the Phillies in the first round (27th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of J.W. Mitchell High School (FL).

Your @MLBPipeline top Phillies prospect - 2024 BlueClaw Aidan Miller! 🦀⚾🔔 pic.twitter.com/KgXZVuRneu

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) December 5, 2024

Andrew Painter (2022), RHP – The 21-year-old Painter was named Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year in 2024 after going 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA (4 ER, 15.2 IP), 18 strikeouts, four walks, a 0.89 WHIP and a .189 opponent’s batting average (10-53) in six starts for Glendale. A native of Pompano Beach, Fla., he missed the last two seasons due to a right elbow injury. Painter, who was named the Paul Owens Award winner as the best pitcher in the Phillies minor league system in 2022, has gone 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA (18 ER, 109.2 IP), 167 strikeouts and 25 walks in 26 minor league starts in his career. Selected by the Phillies in the first round (13^th overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-7, 224-pound righty is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies farm system and the No. 32 prospect in baseball by MLB.com. He also attended Phillies major league spring training as a non-roster invitee in 2023.

Andrew Painter: 9 up, 9 down, 4 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/tcD08J1sw8

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) July 9, 2022

Caleb Ricketts (2023), C – Ricketts, 24, played 75 games last season for double-A Reading and slashed .219/.331/.338 over 308 plate appearances. In 11 games during the month of June, he posted a .795 OPS in 45 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter started 69 games at catcher and four as the designated hitter for the Fightins. A native of Newport Beach, Calif., Ricketts was selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft.

🦀🦀🦀 CALEB RICKETTS - for the lead!!! pic.twitter.com/RvT6IgmFYE

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) September 13, 2023

Gabriel Rincones Jr. (2023), OF – Rincones was named an Eastern League postseason All-Star after slashing .263/.357/.487 (.844 OPS) with 15 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 30 walks and 20 stolen bases in 59 games for double-A Reading in 2024. After a stint on the injured list from April 25-July 18, the 23-year-old ranked first in the EL in stolen bases (16), second in doubles (12), fourth in total bases (79), tied for fourth in extra-base hits (20), tied for fifth in home runs (7) and seventh in slugging percentage (.454). Following the season, the Boynton Beach, Fla., native batted .273 (21-77) with a .367 on-base percentage in 90 plate appearances for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League. Rincones was selected by the Phillies in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft and is currently ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Philadelphia’s organization by MLB.com.

💣🌮 An oppo homer for Gabriel Rincones Jr. - seven HRs w/ the Claws, all seven here in ShoreTown. 6-0 Claws! pic.twitter.com/VRyn4HD9a8

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) August 6, 2023

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-