JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Prospector Baseball Group has acquired the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the team announced on Tuesday.
Current owner Ken Babby is part of the group buying the Tampa Bay Rays — and he’s now the Rays’ new CEO. He also owns the Akron RubberDucks, the Guardians’ affiliate.
Recommended Videos
“We are proud to welcome the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to the Prospector Baseball Group family,” John Abbamondi and Ben Boyer said, co-founders of PBG, in a joint statement. “The Jumbo Shrimp are one of the most vibrant franchises in Minor League Baseball, built on a commitment to ‘Affordable Family Fun’ that we are honored to continue. “We are grateful to Ken Babby and his partners for their leadership and honored to have the opportunity to build upon their success. We believe in providing an exceptional, accessible game day experience at VyStar Ballpark, and we are equally excited for the Jumbo Shrimp to be a catalyst for the future growth of Downtown Jacksonville.”
Abbamondi and Boyer said they won’t change the fan engagement that the team is well-known for.
They also said the process started back in August when the MLB was aware that Babby was trying to sell the team. Abbamondi and Boyer went to a game and said they really enjoyed it.
“We quickly fell in love with it,” they said. “It’s obviously a gorgeous stadium, it’s a wonderful city and it was very clear sitting in the stands, it’s something that had really, been, adopted by or loved by the fans and from there the two of us worked pretty quickly to put together a transaction that would work for Ken.”
Babby said he is confident in the transition.
“This is a bittersweet moment for me and for our family, but we also couldn’t be more excited about the future of Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp baseball.” Babby said. “We were very careful in selecting Prospector Baseball Group as the new owner of Jumbo Shrimp, and there is no question John and his team will be worthy stewards of this beloved franchise, bringing the passion, integrity and commitment that this community deserves. The future of Minor League Baseball in Jacksonville is bright, and I will enjoy watching the Jumbo Shrimp’s success on and off the field. I am beyond proud of our front office staff, our culture and the work family we have built together. I am also grateful to the City of Jacksonville, the Miami Marlins, and our partners and fans, and I am confident that Jacksonville’s support of the Jumbo Shrimp will continue under the guidance of John and Ben.”
The Jumbo Shrimp have been affiliated with the Miami Marlins since 2009 as a Double-A team. It was elevated to Triple-A, the highest level of MLB in 2021. The Jumbo Shrimp will stay with the Marlins.
“The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp have been an outstanding partner in every facet and level of our operation in Miami, highlighted by the Triple-A National Championship title in 2025,” Caroline O’Connor, President of Business for the Miami Marlins, said. “We thank Ken Babby and the entire Jacksonville staff for their commitment and effort to make every game day special for our prospects and the fans who come from throughout North Florida to see them play. We wish Ken and his family all the best in Tampa Bay and are excited to start working with John Abbamondi and Ben Boyer, who both offer exceptional baseball and business acumen that will serve the Jumbo Shrimp and their home of Jacksonville for a long time to come.”
City Council is set to review a resolution Tuesday that would approve the sale of the outstanding equity interest of Jacksonville Baseball, LLC.
The new ownership group said its too early to know what they will change within the organization, but they will visit the team throughout the year to check-in. Day-to-day operations will run through a staff in Jacksonville.
The sale comes on the heels of a historic season for the Shrimp, winning the 2025 Triple-A National Championship.
They will not disclose the sale price of the team.