Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training and baseball is finally back following a long offseason.
The Philadelphia Phillies have 25 non-roster invitees in addition to the 40-man roster all present in Clearwater to get ready for the 2025 season. The non-roster invitees include top prospects Aidan Miller, Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter, along with Griff McGarry, Rodolfo Castro, Koyo Aoyagi and others who will look to impress the big league club. While it is a longshot for any of these players to make the 26-man roster, it would not be the first time that the club has taken a chance on young talent.
A recent history of Phillies non-roster invitees to make Opening Day roster
There have been several contributors to the Phillies over the years who were not guaranteed a spot on the roster heading into spring training. Most recently, in 2022, Bryson Stott made the Opening Day roster out of spring training as a non-roster invitee. Stott, 27, struggled out of the gate for the club and was sent down during his rookie season to Lehigh Valley.
Since being sent down, he has performed well for the Phillies, playing excellent defense at both second base and shortstop and producing at the plate. His best season came in 2023 when he hit .280 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI in 151 games.
In addition to Stott, seven non-roster players have joined the Opening Day roster since 2020. These players include Ronald Torreyes, Matt Joyce, Brandon Kintzler, Neil Walker, Trevor Kelley, Ramon Rasso and Phil Gosselin.
The most notable names on the list for Phillies fans are Torreyes, Gosselin and Walker. Torreyes saw extensive playing time during the 2021 season when he appeared in 111 games. In 344 plate appearances, he hit seven home runs to go along with 41 RBI and 30 runs scored. He was a favorite of former manager Joe Girardi, who previously coached Torreyes during his time with the New York Yankees.
Gosselin spent parts of two seasons with the Phillies from 2019 to 2020 and in 83 games, he hit .255 with three home runs and 19 RBI in 157 at-bats. In addition to his time with the Phillies, he was also a member of the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels and several other teams during his 10-year career.
Walker, best known for his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was in red pinstripes for a cup of coffee during the 2020 season. In 18 games, he collected nine hits in 39 at-bats in what was a forgettable stint during the shortened 60-game season.
As spring training ramps up and the Phillies get ready for game action, be on the lookout for the non-roster invitees who will look to make an impression and perhaps work their way up to the Opening Day roster.