Even though Spring Training is still almost a month away, it feels like it's right around the corner after the Philadelphia Phillies announced their non-roster invitees to this year's camp in Clearwater on Thursday.
The team is inviting 15 players to attend the major league portion of its Spring Training camp. The official list, released by the team on X (formerly Twitter), includes some recognizable names as well as some players that fans may need to refresh their memory on.
Among the 15 players, the Phillies have extended an invitation to seven pitchers, three catchers, two infielders, and three outfielders.
The Phillies have invited the following 15 players to attend major league spring training as non-roster invitees: pic.twitter.com/aQPdVauwsY
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) January 18, 2024
The most familiar pitcher on this list includes one of the organization's top pitching prospects, Mick Abel. The 22-year-old righty spent most of 2023 in Double-A, finishing with a 4.14 ERA and 10.44 K/9 over 108 2/3 innings. His control might be the only thing keeping him from a spot on the major league team; he finished his time in Reading with a 5.13 BB/9.
The other pitcher invitees include Griff McGarry, Ryan Burr, Tyler McKay, Tyler Phillips, José Ruiz, and Nick Snyder.
McGarry was a former top Phillies prospect but has fallen out of the Top 10 in Baseball America's 2024 Phillies rankings (subscription required). Burr signed a minor league deal in December after pitching 75 innings of relief for the Chicago White Sox between 2018 and 2022.
McKay, a reliever drafted by the Phillies in the 16th round in 2018, split 2023 between Double- and Triple-A. Phillips, a starter claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers in 2021, also spent time in both Double- and Triple-A.
Ruiz agreed to a minor league contract in November after splitting 2023 between the White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. Synder signed a minor league deal in December after spending six years with the Rangers organization.
Scott Kingery returns to major league Spring Training
Another notable name on the list of Spring Training invitees is former top prospect Scott Kingery. Now 29 years old, the infielder has had a tumultuous time since being drafted by the Phillies in the second round in 2015. After making it to No. 2 on Pipeline's Phillies prospect rankings, Kingery made his MLB debut in 2018 and stuck around for a few seasons before the team decided he wasn't the player they initially thought.
Despite having a hefty six-year, $24 million contract he signed in March 2018, Kingery spent most of 2021 and 2022 in the minors and didn't get a sniff at a call-up last season. He slashed .244/.325/.400 in 466 plate appearances with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, posting 13 home runs, 47 RBI, and 24 stolen bases while running a 29.0 percent strikeout rate.
Over his 325 games in the majors, Kingery has a .229/.280/.387 slash line with 30 home runs, 96 RBI, and 25 stolen bases.
The Phillies declined the club option for the 2024 season, opting for a $1 million buyout instead of the $13 million he would have been paid. Instead of Kingery being cut loose, his contract reverted back to the original deal he signed after being drafted.
Last year, he hit .340 with an .862 OPS in 47 Spring Training at-bats and didn't make the team, so he'll have to go above and beyond to get a crack at the big league roster this time around.
The other position players heading to major league camp include catchers Aramis Garcia, Cody Roberts, and William Simoneit, along with outfielders Carlos De La Cruz, Matt Kroon, and Cal Stevenson, plus infielder Nick Podkul.