Nationals announce 2014 non-roster invitees

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Gabriel Alfaro, infielder Jamey Carroll, right-handed pitcher Manny Delcarmen, infielder Mike Fontenot, right-handed pitcher Clay Hensley, right-handed pitcher Daniel Stange, infielder Brock Peterson, and catcher Chris Snyder on minor-league contracts with invitations to Major League Spring Training. In addition, the Nationals extended Spring Training invites to right-handed pitcher A.J. Cole, catcher Brian Jeroloman, left-handed pitcher Tyler Robertson, left-handed pitcher Danny Rosenbaum, right-handed pitcher Blake Treinen, right-handed pitcher Chris Young, infielder Josh Johnson, infielder Will Rhymes, infielder Matt Skole and outfielder Brian Goodwin. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Pitchers and catchers are slated report to the Nationals' Spring Training facility in Viera, Fla., by Thursday, Feb. 13. Washington's position players will report by Feb. 18, and the first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 20.

Top prospects A.J. Cole and Brian Goodwin will take part in their first Major League Spring Training. Cole, the No. 2 ranked prospect in the organization according to Baseball America, went 10-5 with 3.60 ERA in 25 starts between Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg in 2013. He tallied 151 strikeouts, 3rd-most among Nationals farmhands, and his 102 strikeouts with Potomac were the most on the club, despite his promotion to Harrisburg on July 23.  

Goodwin led the Double-A Eastern League with 11 triples and was third in the league with 82 runs scored in 122 games for the Harrisburg Senators. He tied for the team lead with 115 hits and paced qualified Senators in on-base percentage (.355) and slugging percentage (.407). On the season, he hit .252 with 19 doubles, 10 homers and 40 RBI. The Rocky Mount, N.C. native is ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in the Nationals' organization.

Alfaro, 30, struck out 12.0 batters per nine innings in 2013 while pitching for Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican League. He went 4-3 with 26 saves and a 2.71 ERA in 63.0 innings (53 games).

Carroll, a career .272 hitter, spent the 2013 season with Minnesota before being traded to Kansas City on August 11. The 39-year-old was selected by the Montreal Expos in 1996 and spent his first four Major League seasons (2002-05) with the Montreal/Washington franchise before stints with Colorado (2006-07), Cleveland (2008-09), Los Angeles-NL (2010-11), Minnesota (2012-13) and Kansas City (2013).

Delcarmen has spent parts of six MLB seasons pitching for Boston and Colorado, amassing an 11-8 record and a 3.97 ERA in 298 games. The 31-year-old spent the 2013 season in Baltimore's chain, appearing in 48 games for Triple-A Norfolk, going 3-3 with a 2.83 ERA.

Fontenot, 33, spent the 2013 season in Tampa Bay's organization, playing 120 games for Triple-A Durham. He hit .264 with 32 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 42 RBI and 53 runs scored for the Bulls. Fontenot last appeared in the Major Leagues with Philadelphia in 2012 and previously spent time with San Francisco (2010-11) and Chicago-NL (2005-10).

Hensley has spent parts of seven MLB seasons pitching for San Diego (2005-08), Miami (2010-11) and San Francisco (2012), going 28-34 with 10 saves and a 4.00 ERA in 271 big league games. The 34-year-old went 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 33 relief appearances Triple-A Louisville (CIN), Triple-A Nashville (MIL) and the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Independent League last season.

Stange, 28, struck out 73 batters in 65.2 innings for Triple-A Tucson (SDP) and Triple-A Salt Lake City (LAA) in 2013. He went 5-1 with a 4.52 ERA in 52 games last season. Stange's contract was selected by Los Angeles-AL on July 29 and he would go on to appear in three games for the Angels.

Peterson led the Triple-A Pacific Coast League with 25 home runs and was second in the league in slugging percentage (.531) and OPS (.895) in 2013. He hit .296 with 30 doubles, one triple, 25 home runs, 86 RBI, 44 walks and 69 runs scored in 122 games for St. Louis' top affiliate. The 30-year-old made his Major League debut on July 20 vs. San Diego and played in 23 games for the Cardinals.

Snyder, 32, returns to the Nationals after spending the 2013 season in the Los Angeles (AL) and Baltimore organizations. He combined to hit .273 with 14 doubles, 13 home runs, 45 RBI and a .330 OBP in 73 Triple-A contests with Salt Lake (Pacific Coast League, 21 games) and Norfolk (International League, 52 games).