Former Claws Representing Phillies in Arizona Fall League

JERSEY SHORE, NJ - The Arizona Fall League begins this week and the BlueClaws will be well represented with alumni including 2022 BlueClaws Johan Rojas, Carlos De La Cruz and Brett Schulze.

Phillies players will be playing for the Surprise Sagueros in Arizona this year.

Pitchers

Taylor Lehman - Lehman signed with the Phillies out of Penn State in 2018. He made nine appearances with the BlueClaws in 2019, going 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA and made three rehab appearances with Jersey Shore this year. He spent the bulk of 2022 with Double-A Reading.

Francisco Morales - Morales was a starter for the BlueClaws in 2019, pitching to a 3.82 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 96.2 innings. He pitched for both Reading and Lehigh Valley this year.

Brett Schulze - A 7th round pick in 2019 from the University of Minnesota, Schulze pitched for Williamsport that year, allowing just one earned run in 23.2 innings pitched. This year, he joined the BlueClaws for the first time, and gave up six earned runs in 13.1 innings pitched while adding 17 strikeouts. He finished the season with Double-A Reading.

Position Players

Carlos De La Cruz - De La Cruz spent all of 2019 with the BlueClaws and returned this year, where he hit .266 with 10 home runs. He was the Phillies Minor League Player of the Month for July. De La Cruz finished the year with Double-A Reading, hitting .278 with seven home runs in 38 games.

Click here to listen to De La Cruz on the Hook, Line & Splitter podcast.

Jhailyn Ortiz - Ortiz spent 2018 with the BlueClaws but blossomed in 2021,when he hit a team best 19 home runs in 74 games with Jersey Shore including 13 in 26 July games. He spent this year with Reading, where he hit .237 and added 17 more home runs.

💣🚨 Jhailyn Ortiz into the @ChickfilA Fan Zone means free sandwiches for everyone! 1-0 Claws. pic.twitter.com/ztgeoH5pf4

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) July 2, 2021

Johan Rojas - Rojas began the year with the BlueClaws and went 33-34 stealing bases while adding three home runs. He finished the year with Reading where he hit .260 with four home runs and added 29 more stolen bases. All told, he stole 62 bases in 67 attempts this season, eighth most among all minor leaguers in 2022.

🔥 Johan Rojas is fast. 31 for 31 on the bases now but watch this all the way through! pic.twitter.com/mrWhnt01qR

— Jersey Shore BlueClaws (@BlueClaws) June 17, 2022

You can follow the Arizona Fall League online here.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-