Southern Maryland Blue Crabs solidifying 2022 roster

Cliburn retains coaching staff, numerous players

With the start of the upcoming 2022 Atlantic League of Professional Baseball season now just three weeks away, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs manager Stan Cliburn and General Manager Courtney Knichel have remained busy finalizing the roster for the outset of the campaign on April 21.

Southern Maryland will open the season on the road against defending ALPB champion Lexington Legends then will entertain its first home stand the following week beginning with an April 26 contest against the Staten Island Ferry Hawks at Regency Furniture Stadium in

Waldorf. Cliburn, set to return for another season after serving as the field coordinator for the California Winter League for a second straight year, had already secured the return of assistant coaches Joe Walsh, Ray Ortega and Daryl Thompson.

“I’m satisfied with the way the roster is coming together,” Cliburn said in a phone interview on Monday. “I think our infield and outfield and our bullpen are all set. We’re still looking for some starting pitching, but then so is everybody right now. We have several prospects in mind, but we’re still waiting for some guys to be released so that we can sign them.”

Among the latest players to sign with the Blue Crabs for the upcoming 2022 season were relief pitcher Dylan Brammer and catcher Austin Rei. Brammer rejoins the team after fanning 16 batters in 14 innings of work last summer for the Blue Crabs. Two years earlier with the New Jersey Jackals, Brammer posted a superb 1.29 earned run average by limiting opponents to just six runs in 42 innings of work.

Rei, selected by the Boston Red Sox with the 81st overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft, ascended to the team’s double-A squad in Portland and later with Winnipeg, collected 40 runs batted in and then had an on-base percentage of .374. His addition to the roster occurred just days before the Blue Crabs’ previous catcher, Joe DeLuca, had his contract purchased by the Cincinnati Reds.

“I am ecstatic to have Brammer back on the team after his performance last season,” said Knichel. “I think him paired with Rei’s experience at catcher will be a good combination this season.”

Southern Maryland had previously helped solidify the infield by re-signing Michael Baca as the Blue Crabs’ every day shortstop. Baca, who has previously played with the New Britain Bees and High Point Rockers in the ALPB, recorded a .368 on-base percentage last summer with Southern Maryland and will help solidify an infield that has been solid in recent seasons.

One week earlier the Blue Crabs also secured relief pitchers Mat Latos and Endrys Briceno for the 2022 campaign. Briceno was the top relief pitcher in the ALPB last summer and Latos, a former Cy Young finalist, was the league’s top relief pitcher in 2019. Southern Maryland took home a trio of awards last year when Thompson was named top starting pitcher, Briceno was named top relief pitcher and Cliburn earned the selection as top manager.