The Cubs’ non-roster invitations for Spring Training are officially out, and it’s about what you’d expect based on player level and the minor league signings we know about.
Remember, non-roster invitations are the guys who AREN’T on the 40-man roster already, but who get to come and develop/compete in big league Spring Training. Everyone on the 40-man is already coming.
The NRI pitchers are righties Jason Adam, Oscar De La Cruz, Dakota Mekkes, Brandon Morrow, Caleb Simpson, Brock Stewart, and Ben Taylor, and lefties Rex Brothers, Danny Hultzen, Tyler Olson, C.D. Pelham, and Wyatt Short. I’ve linked the guys whom we’ve written up as minor league signings already, and the others were already in the system. Ben Taylor is the exception, and we’ll have to write him up shortly.
In truth, anyone in that group could theoretically win a job in a very open bullpen competition, but more realistically, Adam, Morrow, and Hultzen are the most plausible, depending on health.
The NRI position players are infielders Carlos Asuaje, Trent Giambrone, Corban Joseph, and Hernán Pérez, outfielders Noel Cuevas and Ian Miller, and catchers P.J. Higgins, Jhonny Pereda, and Josh Phegley.
Any of the infielders could plausibly win a bench job as the 26th man, depending on whether there are additional signings at second base like Scooter Gennett or Jason Kipnis.
Pitchers and catchers report in just six days …