Dodgers add to 2013 spring training non-roster invitees

The Dodgers in the last week have added to the stable of players who will be in big league camp at Camelback Ranch for the start of spring training. In addition to utility man Nick Evans, the Dodgers have signed pitchers Juan Abreu, Hector Correa, Greg Infante, and Kelvin De La Cruz, and catcher Wilkin Castillo to minor league contracts with invitations to spring training, as reported by both Matt Eddy of Baseball America and Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Reporting date at Camelback Ranch for pitchers and catchers is Tuesday, Feb. 12, with their first workout on Feb. 13. Reporting date for position players is Friday, Feb. 15, with the Dodgers' first full squad workout scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 16.

Abreu, who turns 28 in April, was 2-3 with a whopping 6.80 ERA in 42 relief appearances in Triple-A, between Oklahoma City (Astros' system) and Las Vegas (Blue Jays' system). He had 59 strikeouts and 36 walks in 49 innings, with 13 home runs allowed, more than he had given up in any two seasons combined prior to 2012. Abreu had a cup of coffee with the Astros in 2011, with 12 strikeouts in 6⅔ innings over seven appearances, but also hit five of the 34 batters he faced with Houston.

Correa, who was born one day earlier than Clayton Kershaw, has never pitched above Double-A. He spent the last three years in the Giants' minor league system, and had a 7.50 ERA in eight appearances in 2012 for Class-A San Jose in the California League, with 23 strikeouts in 18 innings to go along with his 15 walks. Correa began the year on the Giants' 40-man roster but developed right elbow inflammation in spring training and was placed on the disabled list on three separate occasions in 2012. Correa was designated for assignment by San Francisco on Sept. 1.

De La Cruz, 24, spent six years in the Indians' minor league system before shifting to the Tigers in 2012. This season the southpaw was 5-8 with a 4.92 ERA in 30 games, including 13 starts with Double-A Erie. De La Cruz had 92 strikeouts and 50 walks in 115⅓ innings.

Infante was 4-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 20 appearances for Triple-A Charlotte in 2012, his seventh season in the White Sox organization. Infante, 25, had 20 strikeouts and 16 walks in 32 innings this year. He had a brief stint in the majors with Chicago in 2010, and pitched five scoreless appearances for the White Sox, totaling 4⅔ innings.

Castillo, who turns 29 in June, spent 2012 in Triple-A Colorado Springs in the Rockies' system, his fourth organization in five years. The switch-hitting catcher hit .253/.273/.365 with four home runs in 74 games in Colorado Springs, and in 778 minor league contests has hit .270/.306/.386. Castillo played in 22 major league games for the Reds in 2008 and 2009, though he never caught a game behind the plate in the majors. With the Reds, Castillo started five games in left field and two at second base. In the last two seasons in the minors Castillo has caught 122 games, played 10 games at third base, nine in left field, three at second base, and two games at first base.

The list of non-roster invitees for the Dodgers will be updated throughout the winter, with a link on the home page just below the cover, including links to all relevant articles.