Dodger NRI for 2018 spring training

Phil Gurnee ♦ January 30, 2018 ♦ 1 Comment

You might yawn when you hear about Non-Roster Invitations but when you consider what the Dodgers have gotten out of their veteran NRI over the past few years it beholds us to take a look at the group for 2018. Last year this group included Brandon Morrow.  In 2016 Charlie Culberson and Luis Coleman made an impression.

This group is a combination of veterans trying to catch on with the major league club and promising prospects who have yet to be added to the 40-man-roster.

Among the prospects a few notes:

Keibert Ruiz has to be the youngest Dodger catcher invited to spring training in many a year.

Jake Peter and Matt Beaty will get a chance to impress the staff if the Dodgers need an infielder during the season.

Diaz and Peters will use this opportunity to show the Dodgers they could trade Alex Verdugo if they feel the need, or conversely show the Dodgers they better keep him.

Among the veterans, I have some hopes for:

Manny Banuelos, the once highly regarded Yankee Prospect is a left hander with good stuff who simply hasn’t been able to reach the final hurdle to make a major league career.  Much like Henry Owens who is on the 40-man-roster one tweak, or different pitching advice may be all he needs to spring over that hurdle.

The dual throwing Pat Venditte is in camp. That alone should be fun.

Pitchers:

LHP Manny Banuelos

RHP Joe Broussard

RHP Daniel Corcino

RHP CC Lee

RHP Mark Lowe

LHP Brian Moran

RHP Zach Neal

RHP Yaisel Sierra

LHP/RHP Pat Venditte

Catchers:

Keibert Ruiz

Will Smith

Shawn Zarraga

Infielders:

Matt Beaty

Drew Jackson

Max Muncy

Jake Peter

Edwin Rios

Donovan Solano

Outfielders:

Yusniel Diaz

DJ Peters

Henry Ramos

Travis Taijeron