BlueClaws Announce 2022 Coaching Staff; Keith Werman Takes Over as Manager

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Keith Werman, who spent the last four years as the major league development coach with the San Diego Padres, was named the 15th manager in BlueClaws history, it was announced by the Phillies. Werman will lead the BlueClaws in their second year as the Phillies High-A affiliate with the season set to open on April 8th.

Werman will be joined on the staff by pitching coach Brad Bergesen, hitting coach Ari Adut, bench coach Pat Listach, athletic trainer Steve Torregrossa, and strength & conditioning coach Vanessa Escanilla.

Werman, 32, will spend his first year in the Phillies system at the Jersey Shore. In addition to working as the major league development coach for the Padres from 2018-21, he was a coach for AAA El Paso in 2017. Prior to that, he spent three years with the Hokkido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan as international operations coordinator. Werman played at the University of Virginia, where he helped the Cavaliers reach the Collège World Series in both 2009 and 2011.

"It's really exciting. There are a lot of great people within the organization. I'm really looking forward to having a chance to manage some young men, work with a great coaching staff and go out there and compete," he said.

Bergesen returns to the BlueClaws, where he served as the pitching coach in 2018. He spent last year as the pitching coach for AA Reading after two years with High-A Clearwater. Bergesen pitched in the major leagues for four years with the Orioles (2009-11) and Diamondbacks (2012).

Adut joins the BlueClaws for the first time after spending 2021 as a hitting coach in the Florida Complex League. Last year was his first in the Phillies system after he spent 2020 as a hitting coach for he Yankees Dominican Summer League team and five years as an assistant coach at Los Angeles Valley College in California.

Listach joins the Phillies for the first time after spending two seasons managing Aceros de Monclava in the Mexican League where they won their first league title in 2019. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1992 with the Brewers and played parts of six major league seasons with the Brewers and Astros. Additionally, Listach spent four seasons managing AAA Tacoma in the Mariners system while also coaching in the Cubs, Dodgers, and Nationals organizations.

Torregrossa spent last season with AAA Lehigh Valley as assistant athletic trainer and joins the BlueClaws for the first time in 2022. He spent 2020 with High-A Clearwater and 2018-19 with short-season Williamsport.

Escanilla is the first female member of the BlueClaws coaching staff. She spent the lst two years with the Gulf Coast/Florida Complex League Phillies after joining the organization in 2019.

Chris Adamson, who managed the BlueClaws in 2021, will serve as a manager in the Florida Complex League. 2021 BlueClaws hitting coach Rafael DeLima also returns to the Florida Complex League as a hitting coach. Matt Hockenberry, the BlueClaws pitching coach last year, who was also the first former BlueClaws player to coach the team, will be the pitching coach in AA Reading.

Two former BlueClaws managers will manage in the system this year. 2017-2018 manager Marty Malloy will manage Low-A Clearwater while 2015-16 manager Shawn Williams will once again manage AA Reading.

Opening Night at the Jersey Shore, presented by Jenkinson's Boardwalk, is set for Friday, April 8th at 7:05 pm against the Aberdeen IronBirds. BlueClaws Membership Plans are currently on sale (click here for additional information) and include tickets to the best games of the year, dinner and dessert at each game, exclusive gifts, and more. Each 5 and 10-game Membership Plan includes complimentary tickets to Opening Night.

The BlueClaws are the Jersey Shore's top stop for affordable, family entertainment.

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