Padres Announce Non-Roster Spring Training Invites

Everyone knows the San Diego Padres added Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, Matt Carpenter and Seth Lugo this offseason but there were some other smaller names acquired on minor league deals that could help the organization at some point this season.

Some of those deals have been invited to Spring Training, which the Padres announced today.

Wilmer Font and Julio Teheran, who have more than a decade of combined big league experience, will be competing for spots on the major league pitching staff. Former Colorado Rockies All-Star David Dahl seems like the lead candidate that could make the team among all of the non-roster position players.

As of now, the outfielders on the 26-man roster are Juan Soto, Trent Grisham, Adam Engel and Jose Azocar. Carpenter could be included in the outfield group but he is expected to be part of a designated hitter platoon with Cruz.

Top prospect Jackson Merrill should get plenty of playing time, as Bogaerts and Ha-Seong Kim are going to be participating in the World Baseball Classic for weeks. Also, infielder Eguy Rosario, who was going to compete for one of the bench spots, broke his ankle earlier this offseason.