Phillies announce 21 non-roster Spring Training invites

Phillies announce 21 non-roster Spring Training invites originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

We're just 22 days away from Phillies pitchers and catchers reporting in Clearwater, which is hard to grasp while we're still in the throes of a deep Eagles playoff run and the Sixers are currently second in the East. There's a lot going on and somehow there's more around the corner!

On Tuesday the Phillies released their list of 21 non-roster spring training invitees, the gaggle of guys who will fill out split-squad rosters and hope to leave last impressions during a few weeks of February baseball down South.

MORE: Zooming in on spring training battles with roster mostly set

Here's the list in alphabetical order by position, via the team:

RHP

• Mick Abel

• Mark Appel

• Andrew Baker

• Jon Duplantier

• Louis Head

• Jake Jewell

• Griff McGarry

• Francisco Morales

• McKinley Moore

• Andrew Painter

• Billy Sullivan

• Jeremy Walker

LHP

• Ben Bowden

INF

• Jim Haley

• Scott Kingery

• Vimael Machin

• Will Toffey

• Weston Willis

C

• Vito Friscia

• John Hicks

• Max McDowell

That's a lot of ball players trying to squeeze their respective ways onto a roster with very few open spots.

The list is highlighted by the highly-regarded pitching prospect trio of Andrew Painter, Mick Abel, and Griff McGarry. The thought is that they all could see time in the big leagues this season; the question is how much, and how soon? Painter will likely battle with Bailey Falter, and also perhaps Christopher Sanchez, for the fifth spot in the Phillies' season-opening starting rotation.

Elsewhere, there's a spot or two up for grabs in the bullpen to open the season and a legion of right-handed pitchers looking to snatch them up.

NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman took a look at the relief pitcher picture (say that five times fast) last week and thinks a couple of these non-roster invitees will be in the mix:

"Pitchers in play for that final spot or two in the bullpen include Nick Nelson, Yunior Marte, Sam Coonrod, Luis Ortiz, Andrew Vasquez, Erich Uelmen and prospects Francisco Morales and Andrew Baker.

"Marte, Ortiz and Vasquez were all acquired from the Giants this offseason. Uelmen came over from the Cubs. All but Morales and Baker are on the 40-man roster."

The Phillies' first full-squad workout of spring training is Feb. 21. They begin action with a split-squad opener against the Yankees and another against the Tigers on Feb. 25.

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