2023 Dodgers non-roster invitees to spring training

Here are the Dodgers non-roster invitees to big league camp in spring training, which began with pitchers and catchers reporting to Camelback Ranch on February 15.

Jason Heyward is the veteran of the group, with 13 years of major league service. He signed with the Dodgers in December after a pair of injury-plagued years with the Cubs.

Among the Dodgers prospects invited to major league camp are Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone, who aren’t yet on the 40-man roster but will both probably pitch in the majors in 2023.

The initial group of non-roster invitees included 16 pitchers, three catchers, two infielders, and six outfielders. The Dodgers begin their Cactus League schedule on February 25 against the Brewers in Maryvale.

We’ll keep track of this group as players are added or cut.

Pitchers

RHP — Matt Andriese
2022 spring training: Yomiuri (Japan)
2022 highest level: Japan
2023 age: 33
How acquired: Minor league FA, January 30
Cut date: March 13

Veteran right-hander had a 2.86 ERA in 63 innings for the Yomiuri Giants last year after seven seasons in the majors with the Rays, D-backs, Angels, Red Sox, and Mariners.

RHP — Dylan Covey
2022 spring training: Rakuten (Chinese Professional Baseball League)
2022 highest level: CPBL
2023 age: 31
How acquired: Minor league FA, January 30
Cut date: March 6

Covey had a 3.47 ERA in 23 starts for the Rakuten Monkeys in the CPBL — not to be confused with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Japan Pacific League — in his second year overseas, with 100 strikeouts and 50 walks in 140 innings.

He pitched parts of four years in the majors (2017-20), with a 6.57 ERA in 264⅔ innings for the White Sox and Red Sox.

RHP — Tyler Cyr
2022 spring training: Phillies (NRI)
2022 highest level: MLB (Phillies, A’s)
2023 age: 30
How acquired: Minor league FA, February 3
Cut date: March 23

Cyr made his major league debut at age 29 last August for the Phillies. The former Giants draft pick with the Tim Lincecum changeup grip had a 2.70 ERA in 12 games with the Phillies and A’s in 2022.

LHP — Robbie Erlin
2022 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2022 highest level: MLB
2023 age: 32
How acquired: Minor league FA, February 3
Cut date: March 6

Erlin pitched in two games for the Dodgers but spent the rest of the season in Triple-A Oklahoma City.

LHP — Bryan Hudson
2022 spring training: Cubs (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A (Cubs)
2023 age: 26
How acquired: Minor league FA, December 13, 2022
Cut date: March 6

Hudson was a third-round pick by the Cubs out of high school in 2015. In 2022 he posted a 3.66 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 59 innings with a 29.7-percent strikeout rate in the minors, with 31 of his 39 games coming with Triple-A Iowa.

LHP — James Jones
2022 spring training: Rangers (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A (Rangers)
2023 age: 34
How acquired: Minor league FA, December 10, 2022
Cut date: March 6

Jones reached the majors as an outfielder with the Mariners in 2014-15, but converted to pitching in 2017 in the minors with the Rangers. Last year between Triple-A Round Rock and Double-A Frisco, the left-hander had a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings, with 21 strikeouts but also 15 walks.

RHP — Landon Knack
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Double-A
2023 age: 25
How acquired: 2020 draft, second round
Cut date: March 6

Knack had a 5.06 ERA in 17 starts with Tulsa in 2022, with 80 strikeouts and 27 walks in 64⅔ innings.

LHP — Adam Kolarek
2022 spring training: A’s
2022 highest level: MLB (A’s)
2023 age: 34
How acquired: minor league FA, December 15, 2022
Cut date: March 21

Kolarek pitched for the Dodgers in 2019 and 2020, and was traded to Oakland two years ago along with outfielder Cody Thomas in exchange for infielder Sheldon Neuse and pitcher Gus Varland.

RHP — Bobby Miller
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A
2023 age: 24
How acquired: 2020 draft, first round
Cut date: March 13

Miller is the highest-ranked Dodgers pitching prospect, checking in at No. 2 on preseason lists by Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and FanGraphs, trailing only Diego Cartaya. Miller pitched in the 2022 MLB Futures Game at Dodger Stadium, and is expected to pitch at Chavez Ravine at some point in the 2023 season.

RHP — Nick Nastrini
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Double-A
2023 age: 23
How acquired: 2021 draft, fourth round
Cut date: March 6

The UCLA product had a 3.93 ERA in 27 starts between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa last year, leading all Dodgers minor leaguers with 169 strikeouts, fueled by a 35-percent strikeout rate, and with 55 walks in 116⅔ innings.

Nastrini was ranked the No. 54 prospect in the sport by Baseball Prospectus.

RHP — Jake Reed
2022 spring training: Mets
2022 highest level: MLB (Mets, Dodgers, Orioles)
2023 age: 30
How acquired: claimed off waivers (Red Sox), November 18, 2022
Cut date: March 21

This is Reed’s third stint with the Dodgers. After getting designated for assignment on December 29 to make roster room for J.D. Martinez, Reed’s five-month run of four waiver claims ended on January 5, when he cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

RHP — Nick Robertson
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A
2023 age: 24
How acquired: 2019 draft, seventh round
Cut date: March 6

Robertson had a 4.43 ERA between Double-A Tulsa (44 games) and Triple-A Oklahoma City (nine games) last year with 87 strikeouts (a 29.3-percent strikeout rate) in 67 innings. He was also a non-roster invitee to Dodgers spring training in 2021.

RHP — Tayler Scott
2022 spring training: Padres (minors)
2022 highest level: MLB (Padres)
2023 age: 31
How acquired: minor league FA, January 3
Cut date: March 30

Scott pitched in the majors in 2019 with the Mariners and Orioles, then pitched in Japan in 2020 and 2021 before getting back to the majors with the Padres in 2022.

RHP — Gavin Stone
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A
2023 age: 24
How acquired: 2020 draft, fifth round
Cut date: March 21

Stone dominated at all three levels he pitched at in 2022, posting sub-2.00 ERAs for High-A Great Lakes, Double-A Tulsa, and Triple-A Oklahoma City. In all, the right-hander posted a 1.48 ERA in 121⅔ innings with a 33.8-percent strikeout rate and was named a Branch Rickey Award winner as the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year.

Like Miller, Stone is expected to pitch in the majors at some point in 2023.

RHP — Wander Suero
2022 spring training: Angels (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A (Angels)
2023 age: 31
How acquired: minor league FA, January 23
Cut date: March 25

Suero split last season between Triple-A Salt Lake (6.08 ERA in 23⅔ innings) and Monterrey in the Mexican League (2.84 ERA in 6⅓ innings). He pitched four years for the Nationals (2018-21), putting up a 4.61 ERA and 3.80 FIP with 200 strikeouts in 185⅓ innings.

RHP — Jordan Yamamoto
2022 spring training: Mets
2022 highest level: Triple-A (Mets)
2023 age: 27
How acquired: minor league FA, January 23
Cut date: March 6

Yamamoto was part of the package the Brewers sent to Miami in the Christian Yelich trade in 2018. After joining the Mets in 2021, Yamamoto missed over three months with shoulder soreness in 2021, and hasn’t pitched in the majors since.

Last year, the right-hander posted a 5.81 ERA in 48 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, with 49 strikeouts (22.4 percent), 17 walks, and 10 home runs allowed.

Catchers

C — Hunter Feduccia
Bats L, throws R
2022 spring training: Dodgers (NRI)
2022 highest level: Triple-A
2023 age: 26
How acquired: 2018 draft, 12th round
Cut date: March 30

Feduccia hit .238/.331/.466 with 15 home runs and 20 doubles in 83 games between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City last season.

C — David Freitas
Bats L, throws R
2022 spring training: Yankees (NRI)
2022 highest level: Triple-A (Yankees)
2023 age: 34
How acquired: minor league FA, January 1
Cut date: March 22

Freitas hit .239/.310/.345 in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season, and played in Korea the previous two years. He last played in the majors in 2019.

C — Patrick Mazeika
Bats L, throws R
2022 spring training: Mets
2022 highest level: MLB (Mets, Giants)
2023 age: 29
How acquired: minor league FA, December 13, 2022
Cut date: March 22

Mazeika started 36 games behind the plate over the last two seasons with the Mets, hitting .190/.236/.279 in the majors. He threw out seven of 22 runners (31 percent) trying to steal.

Infielders

2B — Jahmai Jones
Bats R, throws R
2022 spring training: Orioles
2022 highest level: Triple-A (Orioles)
2023 age: 25
How acquired: minor league FA, July 23, 2022
Cut date: March 13

Jones is a former second-round draft pick of the Angels. He was released by the Orioles last May after Tommy John surgery ended his season.

2B/3B/LF — Devin Mann
Bats R, throws R
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A
2023 age: 26
How acquired: 2018 draft, fifth round
Cut date: March 23

Mann hit .264/.380/.464 with 16 home runs an 40 extra-base hits in 118 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022. He was also a non-roster invitee to Dodgers spring training in 2021.

3B/2B/OF — Luke Williams
Bats R, throws R
2022 spring training: Phillies, Giants
2022 highest level: MLB (Giants, Marlins)
2023 age: 26
How acquired: minor league FA, February 3
Cut date: March 30

Williams in two major league seasons has started 18 games in left field, 14 games at third base, 14 games at second base, 11 games in center field, and two games at shortstop.

Ten days after claiming Williams off waivers from Miami, the Dodgers non-tendered him off the 40-man roster, before re-signing him 11 weeks later.

Outfielders

CF — Drew Avans
Bats L, throws L
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Triple-A
2023 age: 27
How acquired: 2018 draft, 33rd round
Cut date: March 30

2022 was a repeat year in Triple-A for Avans, who hit .282/.379/.426 with a 106 wRC+ for Oklahoma City. He stole 40 bases, good for fourth in the Pacific Coast League, and reached base in 50 straight games.

OF — Yusniel Díaz
Bats R, throws R
2022 spring training: Orioles
2022 highest level: MLB
2023 age: 26
How acquired: minor league FA, February 3
Cut date: March 6

The Dodgers originally signed Díaz out of Cuba in 2015 for $15.5 million, and he was part of the package sent to the Orioles in July 2018 in the Manny Machado trade.

Díaz made his major league debut with Baltimore last August 2, striking out in the ninth inning against old friend Dennis Santana in what to date is Díaz’s only major league at-bat. Díaz hit .251/.346/.360 with six home runs in 70 games last year for Triple-A Norfolk.

CF/LF — Steven Duggar
Bats L, throws R
2022 spring training: Giants
2022 highest level: MLB (Giants, Rangers, Angels)
2023 age: 29
How acquired: minor league FA, December 17, 2022
Cut date: March 25

Duggar is part of the Dodgers’ pursuit of outfield defense this offseason. He followed up his impressive 2021 with the Giants — .257/.330/.437, 106 wRC+ — with only 11 hits in 72 at-bats and a 28 wRC+ for three major league teams in 2022.

RF/CF — Jason Heyward
Bats L, throws L
2022 spring training: Cubs
2022 highest level: MLB (Cubs)
2023 age: 33
How acquired: minor league FA, December 8, 2022

Heyward hit just .211/.280/.326 in 152 games over the previous two injury-plagued seasons in Chicago, including missing the final three months of 2022 with right knee inflammation.

The Cubs are on the hook for nearly all of Heyward’s $22-million salary in 2023, with the Dodgers responsible for the major league minimum of $720,000 if Heyward makes the majors.

Heyward was added to the Dodgers roster on opening day, March 30.

LF/RF — Ryan Ward
Bats L, throws R
2022 spring training: Dodgers (minors)
2022 highest level: Double-A
2023 age: 25
How acquired: 2019 draft, eighth round
Cut date: March 22

Ward hit .255/.319/.486 with a 100 wRC+ for Double-A Tulsa last year. His 28 home runs ranked fourth in the Dodgers minors.

CF — Bradley Zimmer
Bats L, throws R
2022 spring training: Guardians
2022 highest level: MLB (Blue Jays, Phillies)
2023 age: 30
How acquired: minor league FA, December 17, 2022
Cut date: March 25

Zimmer’s value stems from his excellent defense in center field, but in parts of six major league seasons he’s hit just .213/.298/.333 with a 73 wRC+.

Last season, Zimmer was used mostly as a late defensive replacement, without batting in over half (57 of 109) of his games. Zimmer’s 71 games in the outfield as a reserve were most in the majors in 2022, 20 percent more than the player with the second-most (Austin Slater).