Phillies announce Spring Training non-roster invitees
The Phillies have invited the following 23 players to attend major league spring training as non-roster invitees:
Josh Breaux, C 每 Breaux signed a minor league contract with the Phillies on June 30, 2024, and played 25 games with double-A Reading before finishing the season with triple-A Lehigh Valley. He slugged .600 with a .958 OPS in 53 plate appearances during July with the Fightin Phils. Overall last season, the 27-year-old Houston native hit .200 (27-135) in 40 combined games between the Phillies system and triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the New York Yankees organization. Breaux was originally selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Rodolfo Castro**, INF** 每 Castro, 25, appeared in 23 games last season across four minor league levels for the Phillies. He combined to slash .221/.286/.351 with 12 runs scored, three home runs and six walks in 84 plate appearances. Originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor league free agent on Oct. 30, 2015, Castro, a native of Los Llanos, D.R., is a veteran of 194 major league games, playing for the Pirates (2021-23) and Phillies (2023).
Justin Crawford**, OF** 每 Crawford, 21, was selected as the Paul Owens Award winner as the top hitter in the Phillies system in 2024 after slashing .313/.360/.444 (.804 OPS), going 143-for-457 with 25 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 61 RBI, 32 walks, 42 stolen bases and 79 runs scored in 110 total games between single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading. On July 13, the left-handed batter went 1-for-3 as the leadoff hitter for the National League in the All-Star Futures Game. During his time with Reading, Crawford ranked first in the Eastern League in batting average (.333), tied for second in hits (55) and stolen bases (15), tied for third in doubles (11), fifth in OPS (.835), sixth in slugging percentage (.455), tied for seventh in total bases (75), eighth in on-base percentage (.380) and tied for eighth in RBI (26). Crawford, who is currently ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies farm system and the No. 53 prospect in baseball by MLB.com*,* appeared in 93 games in center field and posted a .995 fielding percentage in 193 total chances last year. The Phoenix native was selected by Philadelphia in the first round (17th overall) of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Nabil Crismatt**, RHP** 每 The 30-year-old made five relief appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 and posted a 2.57 ERA (2 ER, 7.0 IP) with six strikeouts, no walks and a 1.00 WHIP. In those five outings, Crismatt averaged 90.5 mph on his four-seamer, which matched the fastest of his career, set in 2022. Crismatt also made 27 appearances (16 starts) between triple-A clubs Oklahoma City, Round Rock and El Paso last season and totaled a 5.81 ERA (51 ER, 79.0 IP) with the three teams. The Barranquilla, Colombia, native was originally signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent on Aug. 3, 2011.
Jos谷 Cuas**, RHP** 每 For his career, Cuas, 30, has pitched in 132 major league games (2 starts) with the Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays, going 7-4 with a 4.37 ERA (58 ER, 119.1 IP) with 122 strikeouts to 69 walks, a 22.0 percent strikeout rate and a 45.2 percent ground ball rate. The Santo Domingo, D.R., native was claimed off waivers by the Phillies on Sept. 7, 2024, and was originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 11th round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Tristan Garnett**, LHP** 每 Garnett, made 31 relief appearances with double-A Reading last season and went 1-3, with a 2.87 ERA (12 ER, 37.2 IP) and 50 strikeouts to 26 walks. He held opposing hitters to a .197 batting average (27-137), which ranked sixth among Eastern League southpaws with at least 30 innings pitched. The 26-year-old also made one scoreless relief appearance with triple-A Lehigh Valley after being promoted in September. Garnett was originally signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent on July 20, 2021.
Payton Henry**, C** 每 Henry, 27, spent last season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, playing 27 games for triple-A Buffalo. Over 104 plate appearances, he slashed .274/.337/.432 with a .769 OPS, nine extra-base hits and 18 RBI. A native of American Fork, Utah, Henry has appeared in 20 major league games with the Miami Marlins across the 2021-22 seasons. He was originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB Draft and was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent on Dec. 10, 2024.
Otto Kemp**, INF** 每 Originally signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent on July 28, 2022, Kemp, 25, combined to play in 123 games last season across four minor league levels and slashed .285/.392/.489 with an .881 OPS in 529 plate appearances. He tallied 49 extra-base hits (24 2B, 9 3B, 16 HR), 20 stolen bases and 52 walks. In 15 games for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League, the Fullerton, Calif., native slashed .289/.460/.733 and had six home runs and 11 walks over 63 plate appearances.
Matt Kroon, INF/OF 每 A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Kroon will be a non-roster invitee to Phillies major league spring training for the second year in a row. The 28-year-old was selected by Philadelphia in the 18th round of the 2018 MLB Draft and has played all six of his professional seasons in the Phillies organization. Kroon played in 80 games for triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2024, slashing .251/.325/.441 (.766 OPS) with 14 doubles, 11 home runs, 38 RBI, 22 walks and 15 stolen bases. The right-handed hitter＊s 93.8 stolen base percentage (15-16) was tied for fifth in the International League (min. 15 stolen bases). On defense, he played all three outfield positions for the IronPigs.
Joel Kuhnel**, RHP** 每 Kuhnel, 29, spent the majority of the 2024 season pitching for the triple-A affiliates of the Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays and went 7-1 with a 3.00 ERA (14 ER, 42.0 IP), 31 strikeouts and 11 walks. The 6-foot-5 right-hander has pitched in 82 games across four major league seasons (2019-20, 2022-24) with the Cincinnati Reds, Astros and Rays, posting a 4-3 record with one save and a 5.86 ERA (61 ER, 93.2 IP) with 76 strikeouts to 24 walks. A native of Goldsboro, N.C., Kuhnel was originally selected by the Reds in the 11th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Rafael Lantigua**, INF** 每 Lantigua, 26, played in 130 games last season for triple-A Buffalo in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He posted a 13.4 percent walk rate (70 BB, 521 PA) while hitting .265 (118-446) with a .367 on-base percentage. A native of Puerto Plata, D.R., he appeared defensively last season in games at second base (55), shortstop (36), left field (24), third base (16), designated hitter (7), right field (3) and center field (1). In 2023 with Buffalo, Lantigua slashed .305/.425/.469 with an .893 OPS in 578 plate appearances over 129 games. His 40 doubles in 2023 trail only Jhonny Peralta (44 in 2004) for the most in a single season in Buffalo franchise history.
Griff McGarry**, RHP** 每 The 25-year-old McGarry pitched in 29 games out of the bullpen for triple-A Lehigh Valley during the 2024 season and recorded a 4.70 ERA (16 ER, 30.2 IP) with a 2-1 record. Of the IronPigs pitchers to throw at least 250 four-seamers in 2024, McGarry＊s average velocity of 94.1 mph ranked fourth. A non-roster invitee to Phillies major league spring training in 2024, the San Francisco native was originally selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2021 MLB Draft.
Paul McIntosh**, C** 每 Acquired from the Miami Marlins with Jes迆s Luzardo on Dec. 22, 2024, McIntosh, 27, played 117 games for double-A Pensacola last season. The Atlanta native slashed .246/.340/.385 with a .725 OPS, 32 extra-base hits (18 2B, 2 3B, 12 HR) and a 10.4 percent walk rate (50 BB, 480 PA). He threw out 21 of 91 attempted base stealers (23.1%). McIntosh was originally signed by the Marlins as a non-drafted free agent on July 24, 2021.
John McMillon**, RHP** 每 McMillon, 26, has pitched in 14 major league games over the past two seasons with the Kansas City Royals (4 G) and Miami Marlins (10 G), going 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA (3 ER, 16.0 IP), 21 strikeouts to five walks and a 0.81 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .148 batting average (8-41) The Lufkin, Texas, native has combined to post a 4.75 ERA (69 ER, 130.2 IP) in 105 appearances (1 start) over parts of four minor league seasons. McMillon was originally selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Aidan Miller**, INF** 每 The No. 26 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB.com and the top prospect in the Phillies minor league system, Miller appeared in 102 games last year between single-A Clearwater, single-A Jersey Shore and double-A Reading. He combined to slash .261/.366/.446 with an .811 OPS over 462 plate appearances while making 90 starts at shortstop. In 39 games for Clearwater, the Dunedin, Fla., native slashed .275/.401/.483 with an .884 OPS and had 26 walks to 39 strikeouts in 182 plate appearances. The starting shortstop for the National League team in the All-Star Futures Game, Miller, 20, was selected by the Phillies in the first round (27th overall) of the 2023 MLB Draft out of J.W. Mitchell High School (FL).
Nicholas Padilla**, RHP** 每 The 6-foot-2, 28-year-old Padilla has pitched in four major league games for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox and has a 5.68 ERA (4 ER, 6.1 IP). Padilla made 25 relief appearances for triple-A Charlotte in the White Sox system last year, posting a 3.23 ERA (11 ER, 30.2 IP). The Bronx, N.Y., native is a veteran of eight minor league seasons and has a career 3.47 ERA (125 ER, 324.2 IP) with 345 strikeouts to 153 walks in 183 appearances (27 starts) and was originally selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Andrew Painter**, RHP** 每 The 21-year-old Painter was named Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year in 2024 after going 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA (4 ER, 15.2 IP), 18 strikeouts, four walks, a 0.89 WHIP and a .189 opponent＊s batting average (10-53) in six starts for Glendale. A native of Pompano Beach, Fla., he missed the last two seasons due to a right elbow injury. Painter, who was named the Paul Owens Award winner as the best pitcher in the Phillies minor league system in 2022, has gone 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA (18 ER, 109.2 IP), 167 strikeouts and 25 walks in 26 minor league starts in his career. Selected by the Phillies in the first round (13th overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-7, 224-pound righty is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Phillies farm system and the No. 32 prospect in baseball by MLB.com. He also attended Phillies major league spring training as a non-roster invitee in 2023.
Caleb Ricketts**, C** 每 Ricketts, 24, played 75 games last season for double-A Reading and slashed .219/.331/.338 over 308 plate appearances. In 11 games during the month of June, he posted a .795 OPS in 45 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter started 69 games at catcher and four as the designated hitter for the Fightins. A native of Newport Beach, Calif., Ricketts was selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Gabriel Rincones Jr.**, OF** 每 Rincones was named an Eastern League postseason All-Star after slashing .263/.357/.487 (.844 OPS) with 15 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 30 walks and 20 stolen bases in 59 games for double-A Reading in 2024. After a stint on the injured list from April 25-July 18, the 23-year-old ranked first in the EL in stolen bases (16), second in doubles (12), fourth in total bases (79), tied for fourth in extra-base hits (20), tied for fifth in home runs (7) and seventh in slugging percentage (.454). Following the season, the Boynton Beach, Fla., native batted .273 (21-77) with a .367 on-base percentage in 90 plate appearances for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League. Rincones was selected by the Phillies in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft and is currently ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Philadelphia＊s organization by MLB.com.
Austin Schulfer**, RHP** 每 A native of Plover, Wis., Schulfer, 29, spent the 2024 season in the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers organizations, combining to go 3-1 with a 4.94 ERA (30 ER, 54.2 IP), 60 strikeouts and 25 walks across 36 appearances (1 start) with triple-A St. Paul, triple-A Toledo and single-A Lakeland. In 186 career minor league outings (46 starts), he is 30-21 with a 3.84 ERA (177 ER, 415.0 IP) and 435 strikeouts to 183 walks. Schulfer was selected by Minnesota in the 19th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he finished his collegiate career as the school＊s record holder with 241 strikeouts. He was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent on Dec. 12, 2024.
Carson Taylor**, INF** 每 Taylor, 25, appeared in 115 games last season between double-A Reading (109 G) and triple-A Lehigh Valley (6 G) and combined to post a 15.3 percent walk rate (73 BB) against a 20.5 percent strikeout rate (98 SO) in 477 plate appearances between both levels. He added 16 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs and posted an .854 OPS in his 115 games. Defensively, he appeared in games at first base and third base. A native of Atlanta, Taylor was originally selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft out of Virginia Tech.
Nick Vespi**, LHP** 每 The 29-year-old Vespi, who made the Baltimore Orioles＊ Opening Day roster last season, went 6-0 with a 3.88 ERA (23 ER, 53.1 IP) and 46 strikeouts to 13 walks in 45 career major league appearances with the Orioles from 2022-24. Originally selected by Baltimore in the 18th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, he has posted a 3.18 ERA (152 ER, 429.2 IP) in 228 career minor league games (32 starts). The lefty pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Game 3 of the 2023 International League Championship Series to help triple-A Norfolk win the league title. Vespi, a native of Miami, was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent on Dec. 19, 2024.
Guillo Zu?iga**, RHP** 每 Zu?iga, 26, has made 17 career relief appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals (2023) and Los Angeles Angels (2024), posting a 5.03 ERA (11 ER, 19.2 IP) with 16 strikeouts to eight walks. The right-hander, who made the Angels＊ Opening Day roster last season, also appeared in 25 games with triple-A Salt Lake, and his 43 four-seam fastballs thrown at least 98.0 mph led the team. A native of Cartagena, Colombia, Zu?iga struck out six batters over two scoreless outings (3.0 IP) in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Originally signed by the Atlanta Braves as an amateur free agent on July 2, 2016, he was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent on Dec. 13, 2024.