Previewing the Yankees’ potential non-roster invitees to Spring Training 2021

Spring’s a comin’. (Getty)

In two weeks and two days Yankees pitchers and catchers will report to Tampa for Spring Training. That’s the tentative plan, anyway. The pandemic could change things, but right now the plan is to start Spring Training and the regular season on time. MLB and the MLBPA have to get their ducks in a row and develop protocols between now and then.

At some point between now and the start of camp the Yankees will announce their non-roster invitees to Spring Training. Those are the non-40-man roster players who get to hobnob with the big leaguers and strut their stuff in Major League camp. Non-roster players are typically a mix of top prospects, mid-range prospects, journeymen, hangers-on, etc.

This Spring Training will be unlike any other. As far as we know, the plan essentially calls for two Spring Trainings. MLB and Triple-A players will report as usual, then once they break camp and begin the regular season, Double-A and Single-A players will report to prepare for their delayed seasons. Split camp allows for fewer people at the complex during the pandemic.

Split camp does not necessarily mean it will only be MLB and Triple-A players in the first Spring Training, however. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch recently told Jason Beck the club may include a few top prospects in their MLB/Triple-A group, then send them to the Double-A/Single-A group for what amounts to a second Spring Training. I’m sure other teams will do the same.

"I think some recognizable names that will not open up in Triple-A (or MLB) are being considered for big league camp and will likely be there,” Hinch said, referring to top prospects Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson (combined zero games above Low-A).

If there are lower minors players in MLB/Triple-A camp, there won't be many. The vast majority of those spots will go to, you know, MLB and Triple-A players. Their preparation for the regular season will take priority. Everyone wants to see their favorite prospects in big league camp, but this isn’t a great year for that. Necessary personnel only, really.

In a typical year the Yankees bring 20-25 non-roster players to Spring Training, so 60-65 players in camp total. 26 MLB players and 26 Triple-A players equals 52 players in camp minimum, but there will have to be some sort of tax squad, no? Can’t go with the bare minimum. Teams will need to have injury (and illness) replacements nearby and ready to go when the season begins.

MLB has not yet announced plans for a Triple-A taxi squad (or plans for anything, really), but I think the usual 60-65 players in big league camp will cover it. That gets you to your 52 minimum players, plus another 10-13 for the taxi squad. That seems like enough, no? We’ll find out soon enough. We’ll preview the non-roster invitees as best we can with the information we have.

"All 30 clubs are still operating on a bit of a vague, general framework. But we're ready to go and doing as much planning and prep as we possibly can,” Brian Cashman told Pete Caldera and Bryan Hoch earlier this week, adding the Yankees are in a “holding pattern” on finalizing non-roster invitees (and personnel) because they don’t know how many people will be allowed at the complex when Spring Training begins.

With all that in mind, here is my annual position-by-position look at the non-40-man roster players the Yankees could bring to Spring Training this year. As a reminder, 40-man roster players will be in big league camp automatically.

Catchers

40-man roster players (2): Kyle Higashioka, Gary Sanchez

Catcher is exactly why a Triple-A taxi squad is necessary. You can’t bring two MLB catchers and two Triple-A catchers to camp and call it a day. Injury replacements must be available because a) the position has no much injury risk, and b) you can’t stick just anyone behind the plate the way you can at first base. At the same time, you don’t want to hamstring your Triple-A team by forcing them to carry three or four catchers on their active roster. There has to be a place to stash extra game ready catchers.

Anyway, teams always bring a ton of non-roster catchers to Spring Training because they need bodies to catch bullpen sessions and whatnot, and that will be true again this year. The Yankees have several good catching prospects in the system (Josh Breaux, Antonio Gomez, Anthony Seigler), but none have played above Low-A, so I can’t see them in MLB/Triple-A camp. I don’t think they would’ve been non-roster invitees in a normal year. Maybe Breaux. Maybe. But definitely not Gomez and Seigler. Not Donny Sands either, who isn’t much of a prospect now.

The Yankees have not brought their previous year’s first round pick to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee since James Kaprielian in 2016. I don’t even know who the last was before him, but it was a long time ago. Far back enough that not even Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy got invites in 2007. I can’t see Austin Wells bucking that trend and being invited to camp, and I don’t think he would have made it even with a normal Spring Training rather than MLB/Triple-A setup.

Non-roster prediction: Rob Brantly, Kellin Deglan, and two catchers still to be signed. A cop out, I know, but that’s the prediction. Brantly and Deglan recently re-signed, and Brantly has MLB experience, so he’s a non-roster lock. Deglan has been a non-roster invitee the last few years and I expect him to be one again this year.

I’m guessing one of those catchers to be signed will have MLB experience (like Erik Kratz and Josh Thole last year) and the other will have Triple-A experience (like Max McDowell and Wynston Sawyer last year). Four non-roster catchers plus Higashioka and Sanchez equals six catchers total, which is how many the Yankees had in Summer Camp.

Infielders

40-man roster players (9): Miguel Andujar, Thairo Estrada, Mike Ford, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela, Luke Voit, Tyler Wade

Urshela had the bone spur removed from his elbow in December and the announced recovery time puts him on track to return in early March, so he won’t participate in the first few Grapefruit League games. I guess that means third base time for Andujar in the interim, though Estrada and Wade will see time there too as they compete for an Opening Day bench spot.

Peraza has never played above Low-A and he only has 46 games of experience at that level. He is on the 40-man roster though, so he’ll be in Spring Training. Anthony Volpe is the team’s other top infield prospect and you don’t see many 19-year-olds in big league camp. If the Yankees are going to do what Hinch mentioned and have a select few prospects go through two Spring Trainings, Volpe is as good a candidate to do it as anyone. He didn’t play last year (pandemic) and his pro debut was cut short in 2019 (mono). That’s a lot of lost development time.

I can’t find the last teenager the Yankees brought to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee (not counting guys who were brought up for a day to go on a road trip) and I don’t think they’re going to start with Volpe. I think he’s a Double-A/Single-A camp guy. Alex Vargas too. Ezequiel Duran, Trevor Hauver, and Josh Smith are older than Vargas and Volpe but big league camp is not the proper place for them at this point in their careers. Peraza will be the infield prospect eye candy this spring, and he figures to go to Double-A/Single-A camp rather than Triple-A at the end of Spring Training.

Non-roster prediction: Mandy Alvarez, Chris Gittens, Hoy Jun Park, Andrew Velazquez, and one infielder still to be signed. Velazquez has MLB time and he signed a minor league deal a few weeks ago, so he’s an obvious non-roster invitee. Gittens re-signed a few weeks ago and was in camp as a non-roster guy last year. He figures to be the starting first baseman (or DH) in Triple-A this year and that makes him a logical non-roster candidate.

Alvarez and Park are here because they’re projected Triple-A players. Alvarez spent much of 2019 at Triple-A and would’ve been there last year as well. Park spent all of 2019 at Double-A and was pretty good (.272/.363/.370 and 120 wRC+), and moving up to Triple-A last season would have been the logical next step. Kyle Holder going to the Phillies as a Rule 5 Draft pick clears a Triple-A roster spot for Park.

The infielder to be signed will be this year’s Matt Duffy, essentially. A veteran who can provide coverage all around the infield because, right now, the only true middle infielders I have listed are Estrada, LeMahieu, Park, Peraza, Torres, Wade, and Velazquez, and Peraza is not really a Triple-A option. That’s not enough middle infielders. Looking over the list of unsigned free agent infielders, how’s defensive wiz Mike Freeman sound? Or former Yankee Jordy Mercer? That's the kinda player we're talking about here.

14 infielders (nine 40-man and five non-roster) should be enough to cover the MLB and Triple-A rosters once the regular season begins, though it’s really 13 infielders because of Peraza. If the Yankees bring a 15th infielder to camp, I would expect it to be an Oswaldo Cabrera type or even another free agent, not a Volpe or Vargas caliber prospect.

Outfielders

40-man roster players (7): Greg Allen, Estevan Florial, Clint Frazier, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Tauchman (and possibly Brett Gardner)

Florial’s an interesting case. He’s on the 40-man roster, so he will be in big league camp, but his only experience above High-A is that one-game MLB cameo last year. Ideally, he would begin 2021 in Double-A. Does the split Spring Training and delayed Double-A season mean Florial will go to Triple-A instead (at least until the Double-A season gets off the ground), or do the double Spring Training thing and go to Double-A/Single-A camp once MLB/Triple-A camp ends? Hmmm.

Good to great chance not one of those 40-man roster outfielders will begin the year in Triple-A. Frazier, Hicks, Judge, and Stanton (and Gardner) are obvious big leaguers. Florial may go to Double-A. Allen and Tauchman are out of minor league options, so if they don’t make the MLB roster for whatever reason, they’d have to pass through waivers and could be lost rather than assigned to Triple-A. Expect a non-roster invitee list heavy on Triple-A caliber outfielders.

The best outfield prospect (and best prospect period) in the farm system is Jasson Dominguez and my gosh, if the Yankees were ever going to do that “send him to Double-A/Single-A camp after MLB/Triple-A camp” thing, do it with him. I say that selfishly as someone who badly wants to see Dominguez play. I’m not getting my hopes up though. Dominguez will be 18 years and eight days old when pitchers and catchers report. Big league camp is not the place for him.

The Yankees’ best non-Florial outfield prospects are still teenagers (Dominguez, Kevin Alcantara, Everson Pereira, etc.). Their best non-Florial outfield prospects with experience at a full season minor league affiliate are soon-to-be 24-year-olds Brandon Lockridge and Josh Stowers, who spent 2019 in Low-A and 2020 at home (rather than at the alternate site). I don’t think either is a non-roster candidate. This year’s group of non-roster outfielders will be short on prospects.

Non-roster prediction: Trey Amburgey, Socrates Brito, Ryan LaMarre, and Thomas Milone. Brito and LaMarre have MLB time and recently signed minor league contracts, so we’ll see them in big league camp. Amburgey spent 2019 in Triple-A and was quite good (.273/.329/.494 and 106 wRC+), and he was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training the last two years. He’ll be back again this spring. Amburgey, Brito, and LaMarre figure to be Triple-A Scranton’s starting outfield.

Milone has a little Double-A experience (28 games in 2019) and the Yankees like him enough that they recently re-signed him to a minor league deal even after he spent 2020 at home. When the Yankees re-signed him, I said I didn’t think it was set in stone that he’d be in big league camp again (he was a non-roster invitee last year), but looking over the personnel, I think he’s in and will begin the year in Triple-A (or on the Triple-A taxi squad). (Velazquez could also factor into the Triple-A outfield mix.)

Right-handed pitchers

40-man roster players (19): Albert Abreu, Luis Cessa, Gerrit Cole, Deivi Garcia, Domingo German, Luis Gil, Yoendrys Gomez, Chad Green, Ben Heller, Mike King, Corey Kluber, Brooks Kriske, Jonathan Loaisiga, Luis Medina, Nick Nelson, Darren O'Day (eventually), Clarke Schmidt, Jameson Taillon, Alex Vizcaino (plus the injured Luis Severino)

The Yankees have 19 healthy righties on the 40-man roster including O'Day and that’s not nearly enough to build full MLB and Triple-A pitching staffs. That’s not intended to be a knock on the Yankees, nor am I saying they have a major pitching deficiency. I’m just pointing out teams will need a frickin’ ton of pitching at their MLB/Triple-A camp. They need to come out of camp with two full rotations and two full bullpens, plus a taxi squad group. 10 starters plus 16 relievers plus another what, 7-8 taxi squad guys equals 34 or so pitchers in Spring Training. At least 34, I’d say, because pitching injuries tend to spike in February and March.

Gil, Gomez, Medina, and Vizcaino have a combined 51 innings at High-A and zero at Double-A. Gomez has zero High-A innings and Vizcaino leads the other three with 27.1 High-A innings. They are all going to be in big league camp because they’re on the 40-man roster, but I have no idea what the Yankees will do with them after that. Send them to Triple-A? Send them to Double-A/Single-A camp? Beats me.

Vizcaino and Gil are the two oldest of that pitching prospect quartert and they’re probably the most MLB ready in that they definitely have enough stuff and probably enough control to survive as relievers right now (survive rather than thrive, I’d say). That could land them in Triple-A to begin the year, even if only temporarily until the Double-A season begins. As for Medina and Gomez, I have to think they’ll double dip and go to Double-A/Single-A camp. (Gomez was not at the alternate site last year. The other three were.)

The Yankees’ best right-handed pitching prospect not on the 40-man roster is, uh, Beck Way, this year’s fourth round pick? Maybe Osiel Rodriguez or Matt Sauer? All the righty pitching prospects who deserve MLB/Triple-A camp consideration are already on the 40-man roster, which makes this pretty easy. The non-roster righties will be minor league contract guys and journeymen types brought in as depth.

Non-roster prediction: Jhoulys Chacin, Luis Garcia, Reggie McClain, Addison Russ, Adam Warren, Asher Wojciechowski, and one pitcher still to be signed. Chacin*, Garcia, Warren, and Wojciechowski are all big league veterans on minor league contracts, so we’ll see them in Spring Training. McClain, a minor league Rule 5 Draft pick, has MLB time as well, and I expect him to be a non-roster guy too. Ditto Russ, who was passed over in the Rule 5 Draft but is an MLB ready reliever or close to it. He is ticketed for Triple-A to open 2021.

* Chacin has nearly 10 years of service time and it would not surprise me if his contract allows him to opt out if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. Those clauses are fairly common with big league veterans like him.

I included a placeholder spot here and I have a hunch the Yankees will see who’s sitting in free agency when Spring Training begins, and look to bring someone to camp as a non-roster player. If you’re a fringe MLB pitcher looking to hang on, do you sit at home in February and March, or go to camp with the Yankees and showcase yourself? You might not make their Opening Day bullpen, but maybe another team wants you. They have to see you on the mound for that to happen though.

Last year the Yankees signed Chad Bettis to a non-roster deal after Spring Training opened. Four years ago it was Jon Niese. Neither ever pitched for the Yankees, but that’s the idea. See who’s still on the market trying to continue their career, then bring someone to camp. In these weird times, that player might be more willing to go to Triple-A when the regular season begins. The alternative very well might be a forced retirement.

Given what we know about the projected MLB roster right now, I’d say the best case ”everyone stayed healthy!” scenario has Triple-A Scranton choosing from Chacin, (Deivi) Garcia, King, Nelson, Schmidt, and Wojciechowski for their Opening Day rotation (the Yankees will set the rotation, not the RailRiders, but you know what I mean). Gil and Vizcaino could be in the mix as well, particularly if the Yankees roll with a six-man rotation early in the season.

(Matt Bowman is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and won’t participate in Spring Training. He might be in camp as a rehabbing player, and he might even make the non-roster invitee list, but he won’t actually pitch, nor will he go to Triple-A when the regular season begins.)

Left-handed pitchers

40-man roster players (3): Zack Britton, Aroldis Chapman, Jordan Montgomery

The Yankees are not especially deep in left-handed pitching at the moment. The three 40-man roster guys are all no-doubt MLB players and their top lefty pitching prospect is T.J. Sikkema, the No. 38 pick in the 2019 draft. He’s yet to pitch in full season ball and he was not at the alternate site last year, so even though he’s 22 and spent three years at a major college program (Missouri), I don’t see him as a non-roster candidate.

Non-roster prediction: Nestor Cortes, Matt Krook, Trevor Lane, Lucas Luetge, Tyler Lyons, and one pitcher still to be signed. Cortes, Luetge, and Lyons all signed minor league contracts recently and have MLB time. Lane has a little Triple-A time and has been in Spring Training as a non-roster guy in the past, and I expect him to begin the season in Triple-A, so he's in. Krook, like McClain, was a minor league Rule 5 Draft pick. He has no MLB time, but he does have two seasons worth of Double-A time, and Triple-A is the next step for him.

I have another “one pitcher still to be signed” placeholder here and really, the Yankees could sign two righties, two lefties, one righty and one lefty, whatever. Point is, I expect the Yankees to scour the bargain bin and bring in two more non-roster pitchers either before Spring Training begins, or shortly after camp opens. Given how many free agent pitchers are still unsigned, I reckon the Yankees will have no trouble finding takers for a non-roster spot.

* * *

Alright, to sum it all up, here’s who I have the Yankees bringing to Spring Training as non-roster invitees in a few weeks:

• Catchers (4): Brantley, Deglan, two TBA
• Infielders (5): Alvarez, Gittens, Park, Velazquez, TBA
• Outfielders (4): Amburgey, Brito, LaMarre, Milone
• Righties (7): Chacin, Garcia, McClain, Russ, Warren, Wojciechowski, TBA
• Lefties (6): Cortes, Krook, Lane, Luetge, Lyons, TBA

That’s 26 non-roster players, so add in the 40-man roster and we’re at 66 total players for MLB/Triple-A camp. I have 34 of those 66 spots going to pitchers (not including the injured Bowman and Severino) and I worry that’s a little low only because Gil, Gomez, Medina, and Vizcaino may not actually begin the season in Triple-A (or MLB). Are 30 pitchers enough to cover the MLB and Triple-A rosters (and a taxi squad) to begin the season? Eh.

For the record, I had 20 healthy non-roster invitees in my preview post last year and only 10 made it onto the actual Spring Training non-roster invitee list. Bad year for me. Hopefully I’m a little more on the ball this year, though the weirdness of last season and unusual split Spring Training doesn’t make me optimistic. Either way, Spring Training is coming. Only two weeks and two days until pitchers and catchers report.