we're taking this thing nationals . . . or a record number of non-roster invitees?

[MadScientist]

Something noted on jsonline is that there are more NRI's this year due to the World Baseball Classic. With as many as 8 players going to the WBC, a few extra NRI's are needed for camp.

[djoctagone]

i've lost count. is bobby crosby non-roster invitee #19?

[Mass Haas]

Hometown Alabama newspaper caught up with RHP Donovan Hand

[djoctagone]

2014 spring training hasn't started yet, but the brewers already have 17 non-roster invitees.

[brewmann04]

WE STILL NEED MORE 3RD BASEMAN

[MNBrew]

2014 spring training hasn't started yet, but the brewers already have 17 non-roster invitees.

I think this is a pretty typical number of invitees right now, and they don't typically add more guys en masse later than now. I wouldn't be surprised if a nearly-guaranteed BP arm is eventually added as an NRI but under the working assumption that they'll open a 40-man spot for him closer to Opening Day.

[JohnBriggs12]

The typical number of guys in major league camps 30-40 years was around 45, now it's not uncommon for 55-60. In Uecker's day it was even less. NRI status was unheard of back then. Part of that is incentives for guys signing minor league deals. Of course with more pitchers, the need for virtually every catcher in the system too.

[djoctagone]

donovan hand cleared waivers and has been given a non-roster invitation to big league camp. he becomes the 18th non-roster invitee for 2014.

[bball123h]

Huge rosters, especially early in spring training, is quite standard. It's a lot more about ensuring everyone is able to get their work in than anything... There is some competition in there, but not all the NRIs are in serious consideration. Plus, invites to ML camp are starting to be included in draft pick negotiations, which further inflates the numbers a bit.

[djoctagone]

similar to numbers in recent years, but notable in that david stearns is continuing the trend. 17 non-roster invitees to date for 2016 camp. not a record for the brewers, but getting close.

[JohnBriggs12]

similar to numbers in recent years, but notable in that david stearns is continuing the trend. 17 non-roster invitees to date for 2016 camp. not a record for the brewers, but getting close.

 

Never used to be that way. I remember when the White Sox back in like 1976 brought something like 56 players to camp. That was unheard of at the time. Now it's standard. Used to be 45 guys in major league camp was about it. I think the agents changed all that and the fact that nobody wants regulars playing much in the spring. The separation of major and minor league camps isn't what it was either. Guys on major league rosters get in work in minor league games and minor leaguers come over and play in big league games.

 

Typically "rebuilding", aka bad clubs go through a lot of players during a season too, especially pitchers.

[djoctagone]

blaine boyer becomes the 18th nri for 2016 spring camp.

[djoctagone]

jacob nottingham becomes the 19th nri for 2016 spring camp.

[Mass Haas]

Here are the pitchers in the Brewers organization who should have expectations to be at the MLB or AAA level come Opening Day. Even if a couple are squeezed back down to AA and a couple more are injured, several guys will be jettisoned (released or traded). But considering 24-26 will be placed at those two levels, the 33 names below don't equate to quite the overload I imagined:

 

21 pitchers on the 40-man roster --

 

Anderson

Barnes

Barrios

Blazek

Cravy

Davies

Garza

Goforth

Guerra

Houser

Jeffress

Z. Jones (Rule 5)

Jungmann

Knebel

Lopez

Magnifico

Nelson

Pena

Peralta

Smith (L)

Thornburg

 

Twelve pitchers not on the 40-man roster, but could reasonably be expected to be placed above AA (* indicates big league camp invite) --

 

*Blaine Boyer

*Hiram Burgos

*Chris Capuano (L)

Jaye Chapman

Tim Dillard

*Josh Hader (L)

*Cesar Jimenez (L)

Jim Miller

*Pat Misch (L)

Austin Ross

Brent Suter (L)

*Daniel Tillman

 

AAA/AA fringe:

 

Drew Gagnon

Jed Bradley (L)

[djoctagone]

rob scahill becomes the 18th non-roster invitee for 2017 camp. we've seen that david stearns likes to claim players and then later try to outright them to the minor leagues. it's probably a courtesy more than anything else to give a player that held a 40-man roster spot during the offseason a shot in big league camp.

[JohnBriggs12]

rob scahill becomes the 18th non-roster invitee for 2017 camp. we've seen that david stearns likes to claim players and then later try to outright them to the minor leagues. it's probably a courtesy more than anything else to give a player that held a 40-man roster spot during the offseason a shot in big league camp.

 

Scahill has a not so remote chance of making the opening day roster so I don't see it as a courtesy in his case. At worse he's likely high on the list to get added at some point in the season if a pitcher goes down or is DFA'd off the roster.