Clayton has officially welcomed The Clayton Clovers Baseball Club to the Town.
The Clayton Clovers’ inaugural season will begin with their first home game on Monday, May 30. The team will play against the Fuquay-Varina Twins at 6:30 p.m. at East Clayton Community Park. Sharp Farms BBQ sandwiches, cold beer, and Clovers’ Merchandise will be available for purchase at the game.
The team, founded by Louis DeCarolis and Caleb Sharp, is a Wood Bat Collegiate Team competing in the Carolina Collegiate League.
“There are a lot of kids from Clayton that are venturing out in other cities to play,” said Decarolis. “The idea of bringing a local option here for those kids in the community was the forefront of forming the team.”
The Clayton Clovers' 2022 roster includes local baseball players, as well as athletes from across the country who were scouted to join the team.
According to Decarolis, the team is unique within the Carolina Collegiate League because other teams in the league are pay-to-play.
“The Clayton Clovers will not be functioning that way,” said Decarolis. “We are a for-promotional base. We don’t charge our players. We’re also the only team in our league that provides players with bats to play with and other things that other teams don’t provide in a pay-to-play environment.”
The team plans to prioritize community involvement. The Clayton Clovers have already donated to Little League teams and are planning upcoming events such as Clayton Chamber of Commerce Night, First Responders Night, and fundraising events.
The Clayton Clovers partnered with the Town of Clayton Parks and Recreation Department to secure their usage of East Clayton Community Park.
Pictured left to right: Scott Barnard, Town of Clayton Parks and Recreation Director; Louis DeCarolis, Co-Founder of the Clayton Clovers Baseball Club; Jimmy Bradley, Park Operations Superintendent.
While serving as home to the Clovers, the park is also undergoing major renovations. These improvements will benefit all the citizens of Clayton and make East Clayton Community Park the premiere location in Johnston County for soccer, football, lacrosse, rugby, and baseball. Upgrades include two lighted artificial turf fields, expanded parking, and accessibility improvements. The renovations are estimated to be completed by late summer 2022.
Photos of newly renovated facilities at East Clayton Community Park.
The Clayton Clovers are looking forward to getting the community involved and giving back.
More information and the 2022 Team Schedule can be found on the Clayton Clovers’ website.