Prospects Bishop, Miller among Mariners' NRIs
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SEATTLE -- Promising young outfielders Braden Bishop and Ian Miller and right-handed relievers Art Warren and Matt Festa are among the 22 non-roster players invited to the Mariners' big league camp when Spring Training opens next month, the club announced Tuesday.
Other prospects not already on the 40-man roster who are getting the call are catcher Joe DeCarlo, infielder Jordan Cowan, right-hander Ljay Newsome and outfielder Andrew Aplin.
Also invited are six players who saw time with the Mariners last season, but are now in the organization on Minor League contracts -- right-handed pitchers Hisashi Iwakuma, Christian Bergman, Ryan Garton and Casey Lawrence, catcher Tuffy Gosewisch and infielder Gordon Beckham.
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Right-handed reliever Ryan Cook, who missed all last season following Tommy John surgery, has also received a camp invite.
Seattle has also signed seven players from other organizations to Minor League deals and extended them camp invitations -- right-hander Johendi Jiminian, catcher Joe Odom, infielders Zach Vincej, Matt Hague and Rey Navarro and outfielders John Andreoli and Kirk Nieuwenhuis.
The 22 players join those on Seattle's 40-man roster who will open camp when pitchers and catchers report Feb. 14, followed by the full-squad reporting Feb. 19.
Seattle's No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, outfielder Kyle Lewis, is not among those invited as the Mariners are bringing him along slowly as he returns from knee surgery that limited his play last season.
Bishop is the highest-ranked prospect among the young players invited as the No. 4 player according to MLB Pipeline. Miller, ranked No. 20, was the Mariners' Minor League Hitter of the Year last season, while Warren (No. 15) and Festa (No. 16) had strong seasons in the Minors last year and followed up with good showings in the Arizona Fall League.
The club's Spring Training roster is at 61 (39 roster, 22 non-roster), including 31 pitchers (nine non-roster), six catchers (three non-roster), 13 infielders (five non-roster) and 11 outfielders (five non-roster).