MLB spring training: Every team's most interesting non-roster invitee, from prospects to comeback candidates
These players will be in 2024 big-league camp despite not being on the 40-man roster
By
Mike Axisa
•
14 min read
Spring training has arrived. Camps across Arizona and Florida opened this week, and next week Cactus League and Grapefruit League games will begin. I can't wait. I am so ready for this slog of an offseason to be over.
Spring games are meaningless but they are fun in their own way, mostly because they allow us to see players we usually don't get to see during the regular season. Top prospects, reclamation project veterans, and many other minor leaguers will rub elbows with the big-league team during exhibition games before heading to the minors at the end of March.
Over the last few weeks, the 30 MLB clubs announced their non-roster invitees (NRIs) to spring training. Those are players who will be in big-league camp despite not being on the 40-man roster. Some NRIs are top prospects, some are journeymen veterans, and most are somewhere in between. The big-league coaching staff will get a look at all of them.
As always, some NRIs are more interesting than others. A few years ago, Yordan Alvarez and Pete Alonso went from NRI to Rookie of the Year. Brandon Pfaadt went from NRI to starting a World Series game last year. Inevitably, a few NRIs will make an impact in 2024. And, inevitably, some will have a big spring and show it was all a fluke in April. That's baseball.
With spring training arriving and exhibition games on the horizon, let's examine each team's most interesting NRI. As a reminder, all players on the 40-man roster will automatically be in big-league camp, a list that includes top prospects like Junior Caminero and Jackson Chourio. Now, here are the top NRIs to watch.
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| LHP Yu-Min Lin: Lin is a fascinating prospect. He reached Double-A a few days after his 20th birthday last summer and he's struck out an incredible 32.0% of the batters he's faced in the minors. Lin's done that despite a fastball that sits around 90 mph most days. He gets his outs with a hammer curveball and a knockout changeup, and very good control. In this era of big velocity, Lin is an outlier, yet he racks up strikeouts as well as almost anyone. | |
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| RHP Hurston Waldrep: It's almost unfair Waldrep fell to the Braves with the No. 24 pick in last year's draft. He has some of the nastiest stuff in the minors -- upper-90s fastball, razor blade slider, and a devastating splitter -- and the Braves pushed him up to Triple-A after the draft last year. Atlanta is very willing to be aggressive with their top prospects. Don't be surprised if Waldrep makes his MLB debut early in 2024. | |
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| SS Jackson Holliday: Holliday is an easy call here as the game's No. 1 prospect. The recently turned 20-year-old slashed .323/.442/.499 and reached Triple-A last season. Would the Orioles put Holliday on the Opening Day roster if he tears it up in spring training? They're in win-now mode after adding rental Corbin Burnes, and it would be very fun, though I bet Holliday goes back to Triple-A to begin the season. One way or another, we'll see him in the big leagues this season, and we'll for sure see him in spring training. | |
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| 2B Nick Yorke: The Red Sox's NRI list is fairly unexciting this year. Yorke, a 2020 first-round pick, stands out from a group that is mostly journeymen and lower-profile prospects. He's had some injuries and swing issues in recent years, but Yorke looks like a difference-maker when he's at his best. It's not out of the question that he could force his way into the team's second base mix come the second half of 2024. | |
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| IF Matt Shaw: Shaw, the No. 13 pick in last summer's draft, had a whale of a pro debut, slashing .357/.400/.618 in 38 games while reaching Double-A. He won't break camp with the big-league team, but don't be surprised if Shaw forces his way into the club's third base mix later this season. Keep an eye on how much third he plays in camp. Shaw has primarily played second base and shortstop in his career, but Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson aren't going anywhere. Spring training is the perfect time to commit to a position change. | |
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| SS Colson Montgomery: Thanks to their recent trades, the White Sox have a much improved farm system and several of their new prospects (Ky Bush, Edgar Quero, etc.) will be in camp as NRIs. Montgomery is the headliner here as Chicago's top prospect and one of the very best in the minors. An oblique injury limited him to 64 games last season, but he reached Double-A and could make his MLB debut later this year. | |
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| RHP Rhett Lowder: The No. 7 pick in last year's draft, Lowder was arguably the most MLB-ready pitcher in the draft class, and he could debut for the up-and-coming Reds sometime this summer. Could he make the team out of spring training? Nah, probably not, but don't be shocked if he's in Cincinnati's rotation come July. Also, keep an eye on righty Chase Petty. He came over in the Sonny Gray trade and is one of the most exciting arms in the system. | |
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| 1B Kyle Manzardo: The Guardians landed Manzardo in the Aaron Civale trade and, after a so-so showing in Triple-A last year, he clubbed six homers in 22 Arizona Fall League games, and stood out as one of the most advanced hitters in the circuit. There's a real chance Manzardo opens 2024 as Cleveland's regular first baseman (with Josh Naylor at DH). If he doesn't make the team out of camp, I can't imagine he'll spend much time in the minors before getting the call. | |
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| IF Sterlin Thompson: A year ago, Thompson, the No. 31 pick in the 2022 draft, slashed .293/.376/.487 while playing four positions (second base, third base, left and right fields) and reaching Double-A. He struck out in only 18.2% of his plate appearances, too. There are some Jeff McNeil vibes here, though Thompson has more raw power and not quite as much contact ability. Still, he has a chance to be an awfully valuable player and a manager's favorite. | |
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| RHP Jackson Jobe: One of the top pitching prospects in the minors, Jobe has an electric arm that produces upper-90s fastballs and a vicious cutter. The 21-year-old made one start in Double-A to close out last season and will head there to begin 2024. Making his MLB debut at some point in 2024 isn't out of the question, though Jobe spending the entire year in the minors would not be unreasonable. That's just another reason to make sure you get eyes on him this spring. | |
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| 3B Zach Dezenzo: The Astros have a fairly loaded list of NRIs -- keep an eye on outfielder Jacob Melton and righty Spencer Arrighetti -- as Dezenzo stands out because his damage on contact is among the best in the minors. He's an elite exit velocity guy and can hit titanic home runs when he connects. There are questions about his contact ability and long-term defensive home, sure, but few players can hit the ball as hard as Dezenzo. He could have a monster spring if most of his at-bats come against minor-league pitchers late in games. | |
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| RHP Chandler Champlain: Acquired in the Andrew Benintendi trade, Champlain made big strides in 2023 and has put himself in position maybe not to make the Opening Day roster, but to make his MLB debut at some point this summer. The fastball-slider-curveball righty looks like a back-end starter right now and has a chance to be more if he can get his changeup ironed out. The Royals need all the pitching they can get and Champlain looks like a player development win for them. | |
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| 1B Miguel Sanó: The Angels gutted their farm system at last year's trade deadline -- top minor-league prospect Caden Dana will be in camp as an NRI -- so their NRI list is heavy on veteran journeymen. The most interesting of the bunch is Sanó, who last played in the big leagues in 2022, when injuries limited him to 20 games. Still only 30, Sanó played winter ball in the Dominican Republic this offseason and could factor into the post-Shohei Ohtani DH picture if he shows something this spring. | |
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| RHP Jesse Hahn: The Dodgers will have several top prospects in camp this spring, including Dalton Rushing and Trey Sweeney, though Hahn is the headliner here. Now 34, Hahn has had several major arm injuries in his career and he has not played since a 2021 shoulder issue. The former Padre, Athletic, and Royal is apparently healthy now, and attempting a comeback with the Dodgers. Here's a guy worth rooting for in spring training. | |
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| 1B Troy Johnstone: The Marlins' NRI group is not especially prospect-laden, mostly because their top prospects are either already on the 40-man roster, or are very young and in the low minors, and not ready for MLB camp. Johnstone is interesting though. He slashed .307/.399/.549 between High-A and Double-A last season thanks to a sweet lefty swing. Johnstone was available in the Rule 5 Draft and every other team passed. Now Miami will bring him to camp to see whether he can factor into their first base or DH situation, if not on Opening Day then perhaps later in 2024. | |
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| RHP Jacob Misiorowski: Even with Jackson Chourio now on the 40-man roster, the Brewers have a fun and prospect-laden NRI list. Misiorowski has one of the most powerful and electric arms in the minors -- he struck out 35% of the batters he faced while reaching Double-A last year -- though it's unclear whether he'll be able to start long-term given his effortful delivery. That said, don't be surprised if Misiorowski is dominating as a multi-inning high-leverage reliever come the end of the season, similar to Josh Hader in 2017. | |
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| IF Brooks Lee: The Jorge Polanco trade cleared the infield logjam a bit and created an opening for Lee, the No. 8 pick in the 2022 draft, to arrive in Minnesota later this summer. He has played primarily shortstop in his career, though the Twins began to expose him to third base last year, and don't be surprised if Lee sees action at second base this spring. It's the perfect time to try it. Although he's unlikely to make the Opening Day roster, Lee is not far from playing in Target Field at all. | |
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| OF Drew Gilbert: The Mets will have several of their very best prospects in big-league camp, including infielder Jett Williams and righty Christian Scott, but we'll go with Gilbert here. He came over in the Justin Verlander trade last summer and is an undersized (listed at 5-foot-9) do-it-all type who can hit, work the count, play very good defense, and run the bases well. Gilbert spent most of 2023 in Double-A and is not far from the big leagues. | |
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| C Ben Rice: The Yankees will have bigger-name prospects in camp as NRIs this spring -- Chase Hampton, Spencer Jones, Will Warren, etc. -- though Rice gets the nods because he hit .324/.434/.615 last year, and reached Double-A. He is an analytical model darling thanks to his excellent swing decisions and strong exit velocities, and there's a chance Rice hits his way into New York's mix as a part-time catcher, part-time first baseman, and part-time DH at some point in 2024. | |
Athletics
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| SS Jacob Wilson: Oakland's farm system is not as good as it should be given all their recent trades and high draft picks, and almost all of the quality prospects they do have are already on the 40-man roster. Wilson gets the nod here almost by default. Last year's No. 6 overall pick is the son of longtime big leaguer Jack Wilson and he's sort of a funky bat control guy with a unique setup at the plate. Some doubt he'll have the power to be more than an average hitter, but he's a recent high draft pick, and that alone makes him worth watching in spring training, especially on this Athletics skeleton crew roster. | |
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| RHP Mick Abel: At this time last year the Phillies had three of the most exciting pitching prospects in the minors in Abel, Griff McGarry, and Andrew Painter. Then Painter needed Tommy John surgery, McGarry lost the plate, and Abel had an up and down season. Pitching prospects, man. They'll break your heart. Abel still has a premium arm though -- it's mid-90s gas with a hammer curveball -- and this spring will be our first opportunity to see whether he's gotten his command on track. If he has, Abel could be an call up option for the Phillies in fairly short order. | |
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| RHP Paul Skenes: Pretty easy call here. Skenes was the No. 1 pick in last summer's amateur draft and is the top pitching prospect in the sport. Armed with a fastball that touches 100 mph regularly and a wipeout slider, Skenes should make his way to Pittsburgh later this year. Could he crack the Opening Day roster? Probably not, no, but he shouldn't spend long in the minors either. Spring training will be the first time many Pirates fans will get their eyes on Skenes. | |
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| OF Victor Scott II: According to Baseball America's rankings, the Cardinals will have seven of their top 10 prospects in big-league camp as NRIs, and two of the other three (Masyn Winn and Iván Herrera) are on the 40-man roster. It's a loaded NRI class for St. Louis. We'll go with Scott, one of the fastest players in the minors. He went 112 for 129 (87%) stealing bases last year between the regular season and the Arizona Fall League, and he spent half the year in Double-A. Scott isn't a candidate to make the Opening Day roster but he could debut this summer. His game is made perfectly for MLB's new rules, which promote stolen bases and aggressive baserunning. | |
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| C Ethan Salas: The Padres have a very fun list of NRIs this year. It includes Drew Thorpe, the top pitching prospect who came over in the Juan Soto trade, plus other notables youngsters like Jakob Marsee, Jackson Merrill, Graham Pauley, and Robby Snelling. Ultimately, we have to go with Salas here. He is still only 17 and yet he reached Double-A last season. There is a non-zero chance he makes his MLB this summer. It would be extraordinarily aggressive, though Salas' entire career to date has been aggressive. He is one of the game's top prospects and a must-see in March. | |
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| LHP Carson Whisenhunt: The Giants have a plethora of interesting pitching prospects -- Mason Black, Reggie Crawford, and Hayden Birdsong will also be in camp as NRIs -- and Whisenhunt stands out from the pack thanks to an excellent changeup that is one of the best in the minors. Whisenhunt reached Double-A last year and pitched well, and San Francisco's rotation behind Logan Webb is unsettled. Conditions are ripe for Whisenhunt to make his MLB debut early in 2024. Maybe not on Opening Day, but early. | |
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| C Harry Ford: 20-year-old catchers who hit 15 home runs, steal 24 bases, walk 103 times, and post a .410 on-base percentage in High Class-A are exceedingly rare and that's what Ford did last season. He also starred for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic. The Mariners don't have to rush Ford because they have Cal Raleigh behind the plate, but Ford is a special talent, and it'll be fascinating to see whether he's able to hit his way to Triple-A at some point in 2024. He'll be a must-see in spring training. | |
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| RHP Naoyuki Uwasawa: The Rays will have several of their top prospects in camp (Mason Montgomery, Carson Williams, etc.) but Uwasawa, a 30-year-old who pitched 11 seasons in Japan, is their most interesting NRI. An innings-eater with the Nippon Ham Fighters, Uwasawa signed a minor-league contract with the Rays and said their ability to improve pitchers was the No. 1 reason. There's some thoughts his slider could make him an effective late-inning reliever. Don't be surprised if Uwasawa cracks Tampa's Opening Day roster and contributes right away. | |
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| OF Wyatt Langford: It's an excellent time to be a Rangers fan. They won the first World Series in franchise history last year, and, in Langford, they have one of the very best prospects in the minors poised to make his MLB debut this year. The No. 4 pick in last summer's draft hit .360/.480/.677 with 10 homers and more walks (36) than strikeouts (34) in 44 games after turning pro. He reached Triple-A too. Do not be surprised if Langford is on the Opening Day roster. The DH job is open and he could be part of a four-man outfield/DH rotation with Evan Carter, Adolis García, and Leody Taveras. | |
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| LHP Ricky Tiedemann: When in doubt, go with the top prospect. A shoulder injury limited Tiedemann to only 62 innings last season, Arizona Fall League included, but in those 62 innings he struck out an incredible 40.5% of the batters he faced. Lefties who can touch 98 mph are always worth watching. Don't be surprised if Tiedemann finds himself in Toronto fairly early in 2024 despite his lack of innings in 2023. He could out-stuff big-league hitters right now. | |
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| OF Dylan Crews: We could've gone James Wood here as well, so take your pick of elite outfield prospects. We'll go with Crews, the No. 2 pick in last year's draft, over Wood, who came over in the Juan Soto trade, because he's the shiny new toy. Wood has been in the system for a year and a half now, whereas Crews just joined the organization last summer. They're both excellent prospects and really, this isn't an either/or. Nationals fans can enjoy watching both this spring. | |
