SAN DIEGO -- If anyone should know the value of a non-roster invite, it’s Craig Stammen.
In 2017, Stammen earned a non-roster invitation to Padres Spring Training, coming off elbow surgery and a season in the Minors. He made the team that spring -- then spent seven seasons with the club as a reliever. Now, he’s the manager.
More recently, Jackson Merrill was a non-roster invitee to big league camp in 2024, before breaking through as a 20-year-old phenom. And last year, Gavin Sheets was an early-spring signing without a roster spot. He quickly earned his way into one.
Sheets is the best comparison for this year’s list of non-roster invitations, which the Padres released on Wednesday. So which players have a chance to become the next Gavin Sheets? We’ll take a look at some candidates in a moment. But first, here’s the full list of Padres NRIs:
- RHP (8): Sean Boyle, Manuel Castro, Evan Fitterer, Logan Gillaspie, Triston McKenzie, Francis Pena, Ethan Routzahn, Justin Yeager
- LHP (5): Omar Cruz, Marco Gonzales, Jagger Haynes, Ryan Och, Jackson Wolf
- C (4): Rodolfo Durán, Blake Hunt, Ethan Salas, Anthony Vilar
- INF (4): Francisco Acuna, Marcos Castañon, Jose Miranda, Romeo Sanabria
- OF (3): Jase Bowen, Carlos Rodríguez, Nick Schnell
- INF/OF (4): Clay Dungan, Pablo Reyes, Nick Solak, Samad Taylor
Salas is the headliner of the group, as the Padres’ top prospect, per MLB Pipeline. But he’s not a serious candidate for a roster spot. Meanwhile, here are three Padres who could follow the path laid by Sheets: a non-roster player in camp, then a serious contributor during the season.
RHP Triston McKenzie
The 28-year-old right-hander feels like the most obvious comparison to Sheets (aside from the fact that he’s a pitcher). Both spent their careers in the AL Central and had success early. But, like Sheets, McKenzie struggled after that early success.
From 2020-22, McKenzie posted a 3.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP across 64 appearances (60 starts). In his past three seasons, all of them injury-riddled, McKenzie has a 5.46 ERA in 24 appearances.
The Padres are hoping McKenzie can rekindle the 2020-22 version of himself and a reunion with Ruben Niebla might go a long way toward making that happen. Niebla worked extensively with McKenzie in the Guardians organization before he was hired as Padres pitching coach prior to the 2022 season.
Maybe it doesn’t work out. Maybe McKenzie’s struggles continue. But the risk is low, and -- considering the obvious need at the back end of the rotation -- there’s no downside to bringing a 28-year-old starter with a high ceiling to camp. He will compete with the veteran Gonzales, among others, for the final spot or two in the Padres’ rotation.
C Blake Hunt
Like last season with Sheets, there’s a clear opportunity for Hunt. The Padres could use a backup catcher behind Freddy Fermin. For now, that’s Luis Campusano. But with Campusano’s defensive limitations behind the plate, they might choose to view him more as a DH/pinch-hit type bat.
It’s a very real possibility that the Padres would carry three catchers (including Campusano) on their Opening Day roster. If they do, Hunt might be the favorite for that third spot. He was selected in the same draft as Campusano before the Padres dealt him to Tampa Bay in the Blake Snell trade.
Hunt, who posted an .820 OPS with Triple-A Tacoma last season, is also a bat-first option. But he brings more defensive solidity than Campusano.
Then again, there remains a strong possibility that the Padres would add to their catching mix this spring. Hunt will need to earn his place.
RHP Francis Pena
There isn’t a huge need in the Padres bullpen. As it stands, it’s one of the best in baseball. But the depth might be tested early, with Jason Adam’s status for Opening Day uncertain (left quadriceps surgery).
The Padres shouldn’t be too worried about that depth. They have some seriously electric arms in reserve. But if injuries crop up -- and, in a Spring Training bullpen, they almost always do -- Pena is a candidate for a spot.
He’ll need to limit the walks. But Pena, the Padres’ No. 20 prospect, boasts an effective sinker/slider mix and a high ceiling if he can throw more strikes.