Astros announce 2019 non-roster invites to Spring Training

Spring Training is only weeks away as the Astros announce their non-roster invites for 2019.

Although cold temperatures and a lackluster free agency currently reign supreme, Spring Training is only a few weeks away. Don’t forget that Astros’ pitchers and catchers report on February 14th, otherwise known as Valentine’s Day.

As expected, the Astros recently announced their non-roster invitees to this year’s Spring Training. While most, if not all, of the invites are likely not earn a spot on the major league roster, one can never know for sure until the time for cuts actually happens.

Here is the list of non-roster invites for the Astros, which currently stands at 22 (11 pitchers, 11 position players):

• RHP Forrest Whitley
• RHP J.B. Bukauskas
• LHP Kent Emanuel
• RHP Akeem Bostick
• RHP Brandon Bielak
• RHP Jose Luis Hernandez
• RHP Corbin Martin
• RHP Ryan Hartman
• RHP Cy Sneed
• RHP Erasmo Pinales
• RHP Brendan McCurry
• OF Yordan Alvarez
• INF Nick Tanielu
• INF Abraham Toro
• C Lorenzo Quintana
• INF Alex De Goti
• OF Ronnie Dawson
• INF Taylor Jones
• INF Jack Mayfield
• C Jamie Ritchie
• C Chuckie Robinson
• INF Josh Rojas

The most intriguing among those invited are top prospects Alvarez, Bukauskas, Martin, and Whitley. All four are among the Astros’ top ten prospects from MLB Pipeline, yet none are currently listed on the 40-man roster. While all four likely start the 2019 in the minors, it is possible for a few to make their pro debuts this year, especially for the pitchers.

It’ll be interesting to see what the Astros may choose to do, especially if a few pitchers make a push for a longer look. Whitley and Martin are two likely candidates for an eventual debut this year, with a few others if they perform well to start the season. I would be surprised to see any of the non-roster invitees make the roster out of Spring Training, although it could happen if the club is encouraged by their progress.