Jersey Shore baseball team celebrates 25 years all summer long

🎉 The Jersey Shore BlueClaws will celebrate their 25th anniversary season in 2026 with special events, fan tributes, and giveaways.

📸 Fans are invited to showcase their photos and memories from the team’s first 25 years.

⚾ Opening Night is April 7 in Lakewood.

LAKEWOOD — Spring training will soon kick into high gear for baseball teams around the country.

ALSO READ: NJ supermarkets plan a walk-in hiring fair this month 

One local team, the Jersey Shore Blueclaws, is set for another special summer at ShoreTown Ballpark in Lakewood.

But this one is more special than most, as the Phillies' affiliate will be celebrating its 25th anniversary season in 2026.

That means lots of amazing celebrations all summer long to celebrate this silver milestone in the team’s history.

A silver anniversary summer for the Jersey Shore BlueClaws

As part of the celebrations, the BlueClaws are collecting fan photos and stories from the first quarter-century of the BlueClaws. These will be used throughout the season on the video board, on the team’s website, and social media pages.

Fans can submit their photos and stories here.

Voting will soon get underway on the BlueClaws 25th Anniversary All-Star Team, too. Fans will be able to vote for one position group each week. The first group will be catchers, with voting starting on Monday, January 26.

Infielders, outfielders, starting pitchers, and relief pitchers will come in the following weeks.

That’s not all.

Key 2026 home games, giveaways and commemorative gear

The BlueClaws will also be celebrating at different games throughout the season, including, but not limited to:

Tuesday, April 7 – Opening Night at the Jersey Shore (The 25th Opening Night in BlueClaws history).

Saturday, April 11 – 25th Anniversary Commemorative Ticket Giveaway (First 1000 fans, recognizing the 25th anniversary of the BlueClaws first-ever home game).

Also this year, the BlueClaws home cap will have a 25th anniversary patch. The logo, in the shape of a beach badge, contains the BlueClaws surfing crab logo, says 25th Anniversary across the top, and 2001 and 2026 are listed on each side of the pin.

From ShoreTown Ballpark to the big leagues

"The BlueClaws 25th Anniversary season is about the fans that have made the BlueClaws a truly special place for a quarter-century," said BlueClaws General Manager Bob McLane. "We can't wait to celebrate with everyone all summer long.”

The BlueClaws have been a Phillies affiliate for the entire duration of their franchise, with the original player development contract signed on September 20, 2000.

Since then, 127 former BlueClaws have gone on to play in the Major Leagues, with 87 debuting with the Phillies.

Ryan Howard, a 2002 BlueClaw, was the first to appear in an MLB game when he made his pro-debut on September 1, 2004. Gavin Floyd, Howard’s BlueClaws teammate, debuted two days later.

Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering became the first player to play for the BlueClaws and Phillies in the same season, making his big league debut on September 24, 2023.

The most recent BlueClaw to debut with the Phillies was Otto Kemp, who reached the MLB field on June 7, 2025. He played for the BlueClaws in 2023 and 2024.

Get your game tickets now

Single-game tickets are currently on sale for all BlueClaws 2026 games, including Opening Night on April 7 against the Brooklyn Cyclones (NY Mets affiliate). Start time is 6:35 p.m., featuring fireworks.

Don’t forget to pick up tickets for Father’s Day on June 21, and July 4 as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration.

Play ball! And remember, “there’s no crying in baseball.”

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