LAKEWOOD, NJ - Jesse Biddle, selected by the Phillies in the first round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, has been added to the Phillies Winter Tour lineup coming to Lakewood on January 26th.

Biddle, who could play with the BlueClaws in 2011, joins Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. and BlueClaws manager Chris Truby.

The event will be held at Woodlake Country Club in Lakewood beginning at 6 pm on January 26th. Dinner will be served at 7 pm. The event features autographs from Biddle and Truby, plus fans can ask questions of the guests at the event, which will be hosted by Phillies Communications Director Scott Palmer.

All proceeds will benefit BlueClaws Charities.

Biddle, a Philadelphia native who went to Germantown Academy, was selected 27th overall and was recently ranked eighth in the system by Baseball America (the top left-handed pitcher in the organization).

He pitched for both the GCL Phillies (3-1, 4.32 ERA in 33.1 innings) and Williamsport (1-0, 2.61 in 10.1 innings). Biddle will be the sixth Phillies first round pick to play for the BlueClaws, following Gavin Floyd, Cole Hamels, Greg Golson, Kyle Drabek, and Anthony Hewitt.

Truby was named manager of the 2011 BlueClaws on November 22nd after spending two seasons at Williamsport, where he had a combined 85-67 record.

He spent parts of four seasons in the Major Leagues, spending time with Houston, Montreal, Detroit and Tampa Bay before getting into coaching.

Manager Charlie Manuel and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. will represent the Phillies at the Winter Tour.

Manuel, who has managed the Phillies since 2005, has taken them to the playoffs each of the last four seasons and led the 2008 Phillies to their first World Series title since 1980. He previously managed the Indians from 2000 - 2002.

Amaro was named General Manager in November of 2008 after serving as Assistant GM for the previous 10 years. A former Phillies batboy, Amaro played with the Phillies and two other teams over a seven-year Major League career. In just two seasons as General Manager, he has traded for All-Stars Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt and then in December brought Lee back to Philadelphia.

The event will also include silent auctions and raffle prizes, including bats signed by Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez.

Registration is $40 per person. To sign up, download this form or call Amy DeMichele at 732-901-7000 ext 172.

The Lakewood BlueClaws, two-time defending South Atlantic League Champions, open their 2011 season on April 7th against Kannapolis. Ticket packages and group outings are on sale now by calling 732-901-7000 option 3.

BlueClaws Charities, the official non-profit foundation of the Lakewood BlueClaws, is a 501c3 organization that has donated over $250,000 to area non-profit organizations and fundraising events over the last two years.

- BlueClaws Charities -