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Contact: Keith Noonan, Baseball Operations Manager, Broadcaster

Phone Number: (301)-638-9788

Email: [email protected]

 

Blue Crabs 2025 Season in Review

Stan Cliburn Moved to 13th all-time on Minor League Managers Win list, finish 10 games above .500 for the first time since 2022

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs finished the 2025 season 10 games above .500, at 68-58, marking a 15 game improvement from the 2024 season, and it was led by fantastic individual performances and a new coaching staff this season with Stan Cliburn at the helm for his seventh season in a Crabs uniform. 

Cliburn brought in two very experienced new coaches this season, in the form of hitting coach Jason Camilli and pitching coach Jason Blanton. The Crabs completely turned over the roster, bringing back only three returners from the 2024 Crabs. RHP Shawn Semple, RHP Ian Kahaloa, and RHP Cody Thompson each returned to the Blue Crabs for another season. Despite this, the Blue Crabs improved in almost every area on the field. 

 

Cliburn Climbs to 13th All-Time

With the Blue Crabs 9-3 victory over the Lexington Legends on the last day of the season, Stan Cliburn moved past longtime manager Butch Hobson for 13th all-time in Minor League wins, he now sits 13th alone with 2,083 victories in his minor league career. 

 

The Jason’s

In 2025, the improvement was stark under new hitting and pitching coaches Jason Camilli and Jason Blanton. 

On offense, In ‘24, the Blue Crabs as a team hit .239, while this year’s team batted .268 as a unit. The Crabs had more hits, runs, less strikeouts, and hit better with runners in scoring position (from .255 AVG to .270), bases loaded situations (from .277 to .305) as well as OPS under new hitting coach Jason Camilli.

Under new pitching coach Jason Blanton, the Crabs team ERA went from 5.38, to 5.09 in one season. The Blue Crabs gave up less hits, runs, and home runs this season as opposed to last, but the big change came in situational pitching under Blanton. Opposing teams in 2024 with runners on base batted .274, this season it was down to .261. With the bases loaded in 2024, teams batted a staggering .355 against Crabs pitching, this season it was all the way down to .219. Finally, with runners in scoring position and two outs, last season teams hit .261 in that spot, compared to just .226 against the 2025 Blue Crabs pitching staff. 

 

Close Game Crabs

The hallmark of this 2025 Blue Crabs team was their resilience in one run ballgames. The Crabs finished a league best by a wide margin in one run affairs with a record of 26-9, while also going 7-3 in extra inning ballgames. They also went 34-28 at home, with eight walk off wins at Regency Furniture Stadium. 

 

Crabs Contracts Clawed

Infielder John Taylor, Closer Jimmie Sherfy, and RHP Ian Kahaloa each had their contract purchased this summer. Taylor, signed with the Texas Rangers Organization, and went to Single-A Hub City. Kahaloa and Sherfy each went to the Mexican League. 

John Taylor, became a cornerstone of the offense out of the leadoff spot by the time he was signed by Texas. Taylor reached base in 40 of the last 41 games he played with the Blue Crabs and 50 of 52 total games.  In 52 games this season, Taylor hit .288 with eight home runs and 28 RBIs. He tallied 55 hits, including 23 extra base hits. His 55 hits were T-9th in the league. Taylor led the Atlantic League with 40 walks and held an on-base percentage of .419, which ranked 4th in the league. He also had 13 stolen bases, T-9th in the ALPB at the time of his signing. 

Taylor came up with a walk off base hit in the bottom of the 10th inning for the Blue Crabs on May 15th against York, while also hitting a leadoff home run and going four for five with five RBIs in his final game as a Blue Crab on June 24th in Hagerstown.

Kahaloa went 7-2 with a 4.11 ERA through 12 starts. He was 4th with 67 strikeouts, 5th with 65.2 innings pitched and 7th with a 4.11 ERA. Kahaloa allowed just 61 hits and 16 walks this season. This season he tossed five quality starts and held opponents to a .240 batting average against. He reached the seventh inning in three of his starts this season.

Sherfy dominated for the Crabs early on, Sherfy signed with the Gastonia Ghost Peppers, but On April 23, was acquired by the Blue Crabs. In nine appearances for Southern Maryland, he compiled a 1-1 record and 0.96 ERA with eight strikeouts and five saves across 9 and a third innings of relief.

 

Standout Crabs

  • Shawn Semple Led all ALPB Pitchers in Earned Run Average with a 3.95 ERA
  • Jackson Loftin became the first player in ALPB History to have a 20-60 season (20 Home Runs, 60 Stolen Bases). Loftin tied for the league lead in SB with Jalen Miller of York
  • Andrew Thurman finished seventh in ALPB with a 4.94 ERA, T-3rd in Strikeouts with 128
  • Brett Barrera eighth in Batting average hitting .312
  • Jamari Baylor finished fourth in On Base Percentage with a .421 mark
  • Jason Blanchard pitched to a 1.45 ERA in 8 games, punching out 40 in 31 innings pitched
  • Kyle Virbiski in six starts, had an ERA of 2.84 in 32.2 innings, striking out 36 over those innings
  • Endrys Briceno went 3-0, with a 0.47ERA and 6 saves, he also struck out 34 in 19 innings pitched
  • Shortstop Sam Dexter and Catcher Ryan McCarthy named to the Drake All-Defensive Team

 

Stay tuned to our social media platforms for more player articles and all other information about the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs this offseason!

 

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About the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs

The Blue Crabs play in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, MLB’s Premiere Partner League. The Blue Crabs are set to kick off their 18th season of baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Maryland. For more information on the Blue Crabs, please call 301-638-9788 or visit http://www.somdbluecrabs.com for more information. For media requests, contact Keith Noonan at 301-638-9788.

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
Celebrating its third decade, the Atlantic League is Major League Baseball’s first Professional Partner League, a player gateway to the major leagues, and a leader in baseball innovation. Over its 27-year history, the ALPB has sent over 1,450 players to MLB organizations while drawing over 48 million fans to its 10 state-of-the-art ballparks that stretch from New York to North Carolina. Follow the action at AtlanticLeague.com.