Previewing the Yankees’ potential non-roster invitees to Spring Training 2024

In two weeks and six days Yankees pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training, and the long journey that is the 2024 MLB season will begin. Position players will follow a few days later. The Yankees will play their first Grapefruit League game on the road on Saturday, Feb. 24th. That is four weeks and three days away. Closer than you think!

“I'm consumed with getting back to the playoffs and winning it all. That's where my brain is and that's where my focus is,” Aaron Boone said at the Winter Meetings. “... This is about getting us ready as best we can, and get to Spring Training and prepare to try and win a championship.”

This will be the first Spring Training with zero wrinkles in quite a while. 2020 was cut short by the pandemic, 2021 was a condensed camp with little 4-5 team pods, 2022 was abbreviated by the lockout, and 2023 was a World Baseball Classic year. This spring will be the first time since 2019 that everyone stays in camp together and has a normal schedule. Hooray for that.

In the next week or two the Yankees will announce their non-roster invitees to Spring Training. Those are non-40-man roster players who get to strut their stuff in big league camp rather than stay across the street on the minor league side. Some non-roster guys are prospects, some are veteran journeymen, some are somewhere in between. Many will have a chance to win an Opening Day roster spot.

The Yankees typically bring 20-25 non-roster players to camp, though it’s been a while since we had a normal Spring Training, so I’ve lost my bearings a bit. Last year the Yankees had 29 non-roster players and that was partly because they had several players leave to play in the WBC, and needed bodies to fill at-bats and innings. That won’t be the case this year.

With that in mind, let’s examine who the Yankees could bring to camp as non-roster invitees this spring. This is one of my favorite posts of the year because it means baseball is getting close, and soon we’ll be able to talk about real live games rather than pretend waiver claims are interesting or wonder whether the 48th ranked free agent would take a one-year contract.

Let’s go through the various positional groups and try to figure out who the Yankees may bring to camp this spring. Sound good? As a reminder, players on the 40-man roster will be in big league Spring Training automatically. We’re here to talk about the non-40-man guys.

Catchers

40-man roster players (5): Carlos Narvaez, Agustin Ramirez, Ben Rortvedt, Jose Trevino, Austin Wells

The Yankees have five catchers on the 40-man roster, though that’s a bit deceptive. Ramirez is a prospect with only 31 games of Double-A experience (and he wasn’t good in those 31 games). He’s not an MLB option in 2024. Emergencies only. Rortvedt seems to be out of minor league options and may not be in the organization come Opening Day. It’s functionally more like three 40-man catchers.

Teams need a lot of catchers in Spring Training because there are a lot of bullpen sessions to catch. Think about the typical day once games begin. Two catchers play in the day’s Grapefruit League game while the others stay back and catch bullpens. Catchers don’t often play back-to-back days either, at least not early in camp, so that’s two different catchers playing in the next day’s Grapefruit League game. Catchers, you need lots of ‘em.

“We’re shoulder to shoulder, making each other better,” Rob Brantly, then with the Phillies, told Ted Berg in 2019 about being a non-roster catcher. “The goal is to get a big league spot, but we’re all going to buy into the ethic: We’re all trying to compete for a championship. If someone goes down, the next guy’s got to be ready.”

Don’t forget Trevino is coming back from wrist surgery. The Yankees will probably ease him into action in the early days of Spring Training. Trevino had surgery on his right wrist, his throwing wrist, so catching shouldn’t be a problem. He should be able to squat behind the plate and receive the ball even if the Yankees don’t want him throwing or swinging a bat full effort yet.

Non-roster prediction: Josh Breaux, J.C. Escarra, Ben Rice. Escarra, a recent minor league signing, has played first base and the corner outfield in addition to catcher throughout his career. Breaux is not much of a prospect these days but he has Triple-A experience, and those guys usually get the invite to big league camp. The team wants them familiar with the MLB pitching staff in case they’re needed at some point.

Rice, last year’s breakout hitter in the farm system, will be a guy to watch this spring. So many people inside and outside the organization love his bat, and there’s a chance he makes his MLB debut later this year. If the Yankees bring a fourth non-roster catcher to camp, don’t be surprised if they go with Rafael Flores over former first rounder Anthony Seigler. Flores spent last season with High-A Hudson Valley and has fans in the organization.

Infielders

40-man roster players (8): Oswaldo Cabrera, Diego Castillo, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, Jorbit Vivas, Anthony Volpe

Cabrera will also be in the outfield mix, though he’s a natural infielder, so I included him here. Vivas is the only infield prospect on the 40-man now that Peraza and Volpe have graduated, not that Peraza is an established big leaguer. Other than Vivas, just about every notable infield prospect in the system is a young rookie ball or Single-A kid. To wit:

• Roderick Arias is 19 and he played in rookie ball last year.
• Keiner Delgado just turned 20 and he played in rookie ball last year.
• George Lombard Jr. is only 18 and he was in high school last spring.
• Roc Riggio is 21 and he was in college at this time last year.
• Jared Serna is 21 and split last year between Low-A and High-A.

You wouldn’t see those guys in big league camp. Maybe they’ll get called up from minor league camp a few times to fill out the bench on a road trip, but they won’t be in MLB camp as full-time non-roster players. It’s not the appropriate place for them given their age and experience level.

I see three upper level infield prospects with a chance at a big league camp invite: Caleb Durbin, Tyler Hardman, and T.J. Rumfield. Durbin came over in the Lucas Luetge trade and he played 47 Double-A games around an injury last year, and played well (.291/.361/.440 and 122 wRC+). The Yankees then sent him to the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost playing time.

Hardman’s 26 home runs led the Double-A Eastern League last year, though power is really his only tool. He hit .237/.332/.558 (136 wRC+) with a 33.2% strikeout rate while being slightly old for the level. Injuries have held Rumfield back the last few years. He slashed .219/.320/.438 (106 wRC+) in 82 Double-A games, which isn’t good for an age-appropriate first baseman.

Non-roster prediction: Hardman, Jose Rojas, Kevin Smith, Josh VanMeter, and also Jeter Downs if he clears waivers. Downs’ seven-day DFA period closes Friday. We’ll get word on his status soon. If he clears waivers, he’ll remain with the Yankees as a non-40-man player and get the invite to camp. If he’s claimed, the Yankees will probably sign another non-roster infielder. Rojas, Smith, and VanMeter all have MLB time and signed minor league contracts recently.

I don’t expect Durbin to get a camp invite because he has limited Double-A experience and I don’t expect Rumfield to get a camp invite because he wasn’t particularly good last season, and spare first basemen usually aren’t a Spring Training priority. Escarra has played plenty of first base and so has Rice, who the Yankees will want to give more at-bats than Rumfield.

Hardman is not really a prospect but he figures to begin 2024 in Triple-A and he is a third baseman, which is a position with some uncertainty at the MLB level. The Yankees will want to get him familiar with the big league staff and players – and let the big league coaches get eyes on him – just in case he’s needed at some point, even if only in an emergency. Armando Alvarez was a non-roster invitee for a few years for that very reason.

Outfielders

40-man roster players (7): Jasson Domínguez, Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, Everson Pereira, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton, Alex Verdugo

Domínguez will be rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in Spring Training and I would be surprised if we see him hit in Grapefruit League games even though he'll be approaching that point in his rehab come late March. Stanton is an outfielder in name only. Cabrera, Rojas, and VanMeter have all played the outfield in the past and will all see time in the outfield in Spring Training, just to make sure they still have that tool in their belt.

Prospect-wise, the biggest question this Spring Training is will Spencer Jones be in big league camp? The Yankees usually don’t bring first round picks to MLB camp as non-roster invitees until 2-3 years into their pro careers, though there are exceptions. Austin Wells got an invite the year after he was drafted. So did James Kaprielian. It happens, just not often.

Jones turns 23 in May and he finished last season in Double-A, though he was just okay with High-A Hudson Valley: .268/.337/.450 (114 wRC+) in 100 games. He got better as the season went on, but Jones didn’t wow, and certainly didn’t leave us all wondering whether he would be able to make his big league debut this coming season. Is Jones really non-roster material?

Brando Mayea played in the Dominican Summer League last year and won’t be anywhere near big league Spring Training. Others like Elijah Dunham, Brandon Lockridge, and Aaron Palensky are fringe prospects who could come up from minor league camp when needed rather than be a full-fledged member of big league camp. Jones is really the only question here.

Non-roster prediction: Jones, Luis González, and also Oscar Gonzalez and Bubba Thompson if they clears waivers. Gonzalez’s seven-day DFA period ends Wednesday and his situation may be resolved by time you read this post. Thompson’s DFA period ends Friday. Similar to Downs, if Gonzalez and Thompson clear waivers, they’ll remain with the Yankees as non-40-man roster players and be in big league camp. None have enough service time to elect free agency. The other González signed a minor league contract with a camp invite a few weeks ago.

As for Jones, I do think the Yankees will give him a non-roster invite. They showed off a lot of young talent last September and they made a big splash with Soto this offseason. The Yankees are clearly trying to create buzz and build excitement, and giving the big name prospect and recent first round pick a few at-bats in Spring Training will help. With any luck, Jones will really lay into one and hit it onto the Dale Mabry Highway one afternoon. That would be fun.

Starting Pitchers

40-man roster players (8): Clayton Beeter, Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Cody Poteet, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, Luke Weaver

The five MLB starters are the five MLB starters, and the Yankees will also stretch out Beeter, Poteet, and Weaver in Spring Training because it has to be done. Hopefully everyone makes it through camp in one piece and Beeter and Poteet can go to Triple-A, and Weaver to the bullpen. Sometimes pitchers get hurt though, and your No. 6 guy becomes your No. 5, etc.

Even after all their trades, the Yankees have two great pitching prospects in Chase Hampton and Will Warren. I’m going to spoil it now and say Warren will be in big league camp. No doubt about it. Before the Stroman and Weaver signings, I thought Warren was the favorite for the No. 5 spot ahead of Beeter, but thankfully it won’t come to that. Point is, Warren will be a non-roster invitee after his Triple-A success and strong finish to 2023.

Hampton is arguably a better prospect than Warren, though he is a level behind him, and when Warren was at the same place in his career last year, he did not get a non-roster invite to Spring Training. Others like Kyle Carr, Henry Lalane, and Brock Selvidge aren’t ready for MLB camp. In terms of prospects, it’s really just Hampton and Warren among starting pitchers.

Non-roster prediction: Hampton, Warren, Tanner Tully. Warren will definitely be in big league camp and I think Hampton will as well. He’s the prized arm in the system and the Yankees will give him a look. Hampton (or Warren) strikes me as a “goes on the road to start the Grapefruit League opener” candidate. Tully signed a minor league contract earlier this month. Otherwise, that’s it as far as starting pitchers go. There are only so many innings to go around.

(Righty Sean Boyle, an organizational favorite who got an invite to big league camp last year, had Tommy John surgery last summer and is still rehabbing, so he won't be in MLB camp again this year. The Yankees churned through so many Triple-A arms late last year that we might’ve seen Boyle in September had he not gotten hurt. Sucks for him.)

Righty Relievers

40-man roster players (9): Scott Effross, Luis Gil, Yoendrys Gómez, Ian Hamilton, Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, Jonathan Loáisiga, Ron Marinaccio, Cody Morris

A few of those 40-man guys (Gil, Gómez, Morris) figure to get stretched out in Spring Training and maybe belong in the starting pitchers section, but for our purposes, it doesn’t really matter. They’ll all be in camp one way or the other, and we’re here to talk about non-roster guys, not 40-man roster players. We talk about the 40-man guys enough each year.

The Yankees do a pretty good job building bullpens but they don’t have many upper level relief prospects at the moment. Triple-A Scranton’s bullpen figures to be mostly journeyman types to begin the season. Jack Neely and Danny Watson are the two best pure relief prospects in the system and I'm not sure either projects as a future high leverage guy. Neely got to Double-A late last year. Watson has close to 40 innings at that level.

Non-roster prediction: Nick Burdi, Yerry De Los Santos, Dennis Santana, Duane Underwood Jr., and 2-3 pitchers still to be signed. Those four all signed minor league contracts earlier this offseason and it feels like a few more signings are coming to fill out the Triple-A bullpen. The Yankees have not brought Neely and Watson types to big league camp in recent years. They usually wait until they get to Triple-A and have some success, so not yet for those two.

Lefty Relievers

40-man roster players (3): Victor González, Matt Krook, Nick Ramirez

Lefty relief is not an area of depth, organizationally. The Yankees are said to have interest in re-signing Wandy Peralta but it’s not a given, so González and Ramirez are at the front of the line. Krook is a DFA candidate and no lock to make it through Spring Training. I get the feeling the Yankees will add another big league lefty between now and Opening Day.

Edgar Barclay is the most notable upper level southpaw in the system and he’s a funky guy more than a flamethrower, and he fits better in the bullpen than as a starter. Barclay was passed over in the Rule 5 Draft in December but that won’t hurt his case for a non-roster invite. Mitch Spence was a non-roster player last spring after slipping through the Rule 5 Draft cracks that offseason.

Non-roster prediction: Barclay, Anthony Misiewicz, Oddanier Mosqueda. That’s it. Barclay and two guys signed to minor league contracts a few weeks back. I mentioned 2-3 pitchers who haven’t been signed yet in the right-handers section, so maybe it’s one righty and one lefty instead of two righties, or two lefties instead of two righties. We’ll see.

* * *

Spring Training is three weeks away and things will change between now and then, so this is just a snapshot of where everything sits right now. Here’s the Spring Training roster I came up with. Players in yellow are projected non-roster invitees. Everyone else is on the 40-man roster.

There is some overlap with those positions. Escarra can play first base and the outfield, Rice can play first base, Rojas and VanMeter can play the outfield, some starters can relieve and some relievers can start. I’m mostly focusing on the players themselves rather than the exact positions they’ll play. It’s Spring Training. Everyone will bounce around.

I have 24 non-roster invitees and that’s a typical amount. I’m least certain about Hardman and Jones. Hardman because he’s not much of a prospect and Jones because he has about five minutes of Double-A experience. Warren’s a stone cold lock. Hampton and Rice less so but I think they’ll be in camp. Both could debut this year (probably not, but maybe), so it makes sense to bring them to Spring Training.

Non-roster invitees are not the most exciting group of players in the world, I know, but this is important stuff. These guys contribute throughout the season. Ian Hamilton was a non-roster invitee last year. Nestor Cortes was a non-roster invitee three years ago. Jordan Montgomery was a non-roster invitee in 2017. Spring Training will be our first chance to get eyes on many of these players, but it won’t be the last time we see them in 2024.