Eight Former BlueClaws Headed to Arizona Fall League
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Eight BlueClaws alumni, including five members of the 2023 BlueClaws, are headed to the Arizona Fall League to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, it was announced by Major League Baseball. The Scorpions will be managed Marty Malloy, who led the BlueClaws in 2017 and 2018, and
JERSEY SHORE, NJ - Eight BlueClaws alumni, including five members of the 2023 BlueClaws, are headed to the Arizona Fall League to play for the Scottsdale Scorpions, it was announced by Major League Baseball. The Scorpions will be managed Marty Malloy, who led the BlueClaws in 2017 and 2018, and managed Clearwater to the Florida State League finals this year.
The following former BlueClaws will be participating in the Arizona Fall League this year (year with BlueClaws):
Pitchers
Andrew Baker (2022) - Baker went 3-1 with a 4.74 ERA with the BlueClaws last year, striking out 61 batters in 43.1 innings pitched. He spent 2023 with Double-A Reading. Baker was an 11th round pick in the 2021 draft from Chipola JC.
Jordi Martinez (2022-23) - Martinez began 2023 with the BlueClaws, where he was converted from a starter to a reliever. He had a 3.97 ERA with three saves and 59 strikeouts in 47.2 innings pitched before an August promotion to Reading.
Christian McGowan (2022-23) - McGowan, a 7th round pick in 2021 from Eastern Oklahoma State Junior College, made two starts with the BlueClaws in 2022 before missing the rest of the season. He returned this year and made five starts, allowing five runs in 16 innings, plus one BlueClaws playoff start where he gave up one run over five innings. He finished the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Mitch Neunborn (2023) - Neunborn, who pitched for Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic, signed with the Phillies in June and had a 3.38 ERA over 42.2 innings pitched, striking out 54 and walking just 14. He held the league to a batting average of just .172. Neunborn also pitched last winter for the Adelaide Giants, helping them to an Australian Baseball League title.
Dominic Pipkin (2019, 2021-22) - Pipkin was drafted in the 8th round in 2018 from high school in Pinole, California. He spent 2019 with the Low-A BlueClaws and moved up to High-A in 2021 and 2022. He spent this year with Double-A Reading, pitching to a 3.66 ERA in 19.2 innings while adding 23 strikeouts.
Catcher
Caleb Ricketts (2023) - Ricketts was a 7th round pick in 2022 from the University of San Diego. He began this year with Clearwater and joined the BlueClaws in May, hitting .218 with three regular season home runs. He then added one of the biggest long-balls of the season, a two-run homer to give the BlueClaws the lead in a playoff win against Hudson Valley at ShoreTown Ballpark.
🦀🦀🦀 CALEB RICKETTS - for the lead!!! pic.twitter.com/RvT6IgmFYE
— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) September 13, 2023
Infielder
Matt Kroon (2019) - Kroon was drafted in the 18th round of the 2018 draft from Oklahoma State and spent 37 games with the BlueClaws in 2019, hitting .268 with one home run and eight stolen bases. He also made rehab appearances with the BlueClaws in 2021 and 2023. He spent most of this year with Reading before finishing it with Lehigh Valley.
Outfielder
Gabriel Rincones, Jr. (2023) - A 3rd round pick in the draft last year from Florida Atlantic, Ricnones Jr. joined the BlueClaws on June 13th from Clearwater. With Jersey Shore, he hit .238 with 10 home runs and drove in 39 runs.
Manager
Marty Malloy will manage the Scorpions this fall. Malloy led the BlueClaws to the 2018 SAL Championship Series and managed the team in 2017 and 2018. This year, he managed Clearwater to the Florida State League Championship Series.
-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-