There are several Philadelphia Phillies non-roster invitees worth keeping an eye on as spring training games begin. These include top prospects and experienced players trying to make the roster. On Saturday, the Phillies will play the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin to open spring training. The next day, they will play the New York Yankees in Clearwater in a split-squad game. This opens the home schedule of spring training games for the Phillies. They will look to win the Grapefruit League this spring. While spring training results do not mean much in the grand scheme of things it would be nice to start the year off right and have some positive momentum heading into the regular season.
Phillies Non-Roster Invitees To Watch
Mick Abel
Mick Abel, who is ranked in the MLB Pipeline Top 100, is the non-roster invitee meriting the most attention. Abel is projected to reach the major leagues this season. Last year in 23 starts between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Abel had a 5-6 record with a 4.13 ERA and 132 strikeouts. Batters had a .192 average against him last season. While not currently on the 40-man roster, Abel could easily earn a spot if spring training goes well. It would not be surprising to see him in the major leagues when September call-ups come this season. Furthermore, Abel would probably be a top choice for a call-up if the need were to arise due to injuries. It appears likely that Abel will be in the Phillies rotation by the 2025 season or the 2026 season at the latest.
David Dahl
David Dahl recently signed with the Phillies to provide outfield depth. In six seasons in the big leagues, Dahl has a .271/.317/.463 line with 43 home runs and 161 RBI. In 2019 Dahl made the All-Star team as a member of the Colorado Rockies. That season saw Dahl have a .302/.353/.524 line with 15 home runs and 61 RBI. Dahl can play all three outfield positions but has primarily played left field. Out of the 283 games he has played. 162 of them have been in left field. Even with the Phillies’ recent signing of Whit Merrifield, Dahl will have a chance to secure a bench spot. Dahl and fellow non-roster invitee Cal Stevenson will be primarily competing against Jake Cave for a potential spot on the Phillies bench.
Rob Thomson on David Dahl:
“Another depth piece. Had a couple really good years in Colorado. Former first round pick. And he’s got some power. I don’t know what’s happened in the last couple of years.” pic.twitter.com/hoIBhMEQJZ
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) February 19, 2024
Carlos De La Cruz
Another top Phillies prospect who received an invite is Carlos De La Cruz, who brings positional versatility to the team. It is expected that during spring training, De La Cruz will play at first base and in the outfield. Last season in 129 games with Double-A Reading, De La Cruz had a .259/.344/.454 line with 24 home runs and 67 RBI. It is projected that De La Cruz will reach the major leagues sometime this season. Given the defensive versatility De La Cruz brings, it would not be surprising to see him as an injury replacement if the need arises during the regular season. While the 40-man roster is filled at the moment, De La Cruz should be able to find a spot with a great performance in spring training.
Carlos De La Cruz told me he expects to continue to get work both at first base and in the outfield this spring.
Says he wants to be ready to play wherever he’s needed. pic.twitter.com/AlnUDI1SWi
— John Foley (@2008Philz) February 17, 2024
Griff McGarry
Yet another highly-ranked Phillies prospect on this list, Griff McGarry enters spring training with a reworked delivery for this season. This came after the Phillies shut him down at the end of last season due to performance-related issues while pitching for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In three starts there, McGarry had a 0-2 record with a 41.54 ERA and five strikeouts. Overall last season, in 17 starts at three levels, McGarry had a 1-3 record with a 6.00 ERA and 81 strikeouts. As a result, McGarry is under the most pressure of all the Phillies’ non-roster invitees. At age 24, McGarry needs to show that the reworked delivery has led to improvements on the mound. If that is not the case, he might end up being traded by the deadline.
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