You always know that spring training is getting close when the lists of non-roster invitees are announced across Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies released their list of major league spring training non-roster invitees on Tuesday, and they didn't disappoint.
Every year, MLB teams bring a couple dozen players who aren't on the 40-man roster to major league spring training. These groups of non-roster invitees usually include veteran players hoping to play their way into a major league job, or at least onto the 40-man roster, and young prospects hoping to make an impression for the coming season or down the road.
Phillies invite exciting group of top prospects to major league spring training
Looking through the Phillies' list of 23 players, fans will be excited to see a handful of the team's top prospects among the group, including shortstop Aidan Miller (Phillies No. 1), starting pitcher Andrew Painter (Phillies No. 2) and outfielder Justin Crawford (Phillies No. 3).
The other non-roster players invited to participate in the big league camp include:
- Left-handers Tristan Garnett and Nick Vespi.
- Right-handers Nabil Crismatt, Jose Cuas, Joel Kuhnel, Griff McGarry, John McMillon, Nicholas Padilla, Austin Schulfer and Guillo Zuñiga.
- Catchers Josh Breaux, Payton Henry, Paul McIntosh and Caleb Ricketts.
- Infielders Rodolfo Castro, Otto Kemp, Rafael Lantigua and Carson Taylor.
- Outfielders Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Matt Kroon.
The Phillies have invited the following 23 players to attend major league spring training as non-roster invitees: pic.twitter.com/iUaTuT5Tpg
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) January 14, 2025
This will be Painter's second major league spring training. He was part of the Phillies' camp in 2023 and had a shot at making the big league club before elbow problems shut him down. Now two years later, the 21-year-old right-hander will be back in camp, continuing his building-up after Tommy John surgery.
If his incredible performance in the Arizona Fall League is any indication, Painter is well on his way to returning to the elite form that had the organization and fans so excited in 2023. We'll still have to wait to see him in game action, however. The Phillies are taking a slow approach to the MLB No. 32 prospect's season. He won't appear in any Grapefruit League games according to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Scott Lauber.
Miller (MLB No. 26), will get his first taste of big league camp this spring. He played in three different levels, from Single-A to Double-A, in 2024 after being the Phillies' first-round draft pick in 2023. Still just 20, Miller hit .261 with an .811 OPS in 102 games and played in the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
Crawford (MLB No. 53) just turned 21 and will also get his first invite to major league camp after scorching his way through High-A and Double-A last year. The Phillies' first-round pick in 2022 hit .313 with an .805 OPS and 42 steals in 110 games. He joined Miller in the Futures Game and was named the organization's top position prospect in 2024.
Phillies open their 2025 spring training camp in mid-February, so we won't have to wait too long to see the future of the team join the current superstars in Clearwater.