Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers have revealed a list of 20 non-roster players with Spring Training invites, which included nine right-handed pitchers, one left-handed pitcher, two catchers, four infielders, and four outfielders. The names range from veterans likely to make the team to top prospects who the team wants to get their taste of the bigs, which should make things interesting in a couple weeks.
Speaking of that, pitchers and catchers report on February 9, which is early because the season for the Dodgers starts on March 20 with their two-game series against the Padres in South Korea. The Spring Training games themselves will start up on February 22.
Anyway, here’s a list of the 20 names and info on some of them.
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RHP
Nabil Crismatt
Stephen Gonsalves
Kevin Gowdy
Jesse Hahn
Elieser Hernandez
Daniel Hudson
Michael Petersen
River Ryan
Eduardo Salazar
LHP
Hudson is the obvious name to watch here (coverage of his signing), as if he looks healthy there’s not much stopping him from making the team. Crismatt is also a solid candidate if he’s able to find his old form (notes on him and also Salazar), and Ryan should be an exciting watch that we might see in September (prospect ranking here).
I’m mainly surprised there’s just one LHP considering the lack of depth there, and also note that out of these 10 pitchers, only Ryan and sometimes Hernandez start games anymore.
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C
INF
Jonathan Arauz
Austin Gauthier
Kevin Padlo
Trey Sweeney
Going to be difficult for catchers to crack the roster, but if there’s an injury … who knows (prospect ranking for Rushing here). There’s mainly utility guys (notes on Arauz here), but actually surprised at the lack of shortstop cover at the moment (prospect ranking for Gauthier here and analysis of Sweeney here).
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OF
Drew Avans
Jose Ramos
Travis Swaggerty
Ryan Ward
Ramos wasn’t protected from the Rule 5 Draft, but obviously wasn’t taken, so this is likely more for experience after he struggled at AA last year (Ramos’ prospect ranking here). Meanwhile, Swaggerty is a former first rounder who is looking for a breakout (notes on Swaggerty here).
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Out of these 20, Crismatt, Gonsalves, and Padlo don’t have options, so if they make the team they have to be designated instead of sent down. Meanwhile, Hahn, Hernandez, Hudson, and McFarland have enough service (5+ years) that they have to be waived and can refuse assignment to the minors, so they can only be sent down with their consent. Something to consider when picking out the roster, as the Dodgers value the ability to shuttle pitchers up and down.
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Thankfully, this roster figures to be difficult to crack, as it should be for a team in the situation the Dodgers are in now. However, quality showings could put these guys on the short list to be called up in a pinch, especially the relievers (lefties, in particular) and any player that can handle short as a part of a utility infielder package. Surely the Dodgers will be hoping they won’t need anybody here outside of Hudson, but we all know how baseball is by now.
