Newcomers, prospects among Bucs' NRIs

PITTSBURGH -- Two new outfielders and a trio of highly regarded infield prospects highlight the Pirates' list of non-roster players invited to Spring Training, which the club announced Monday morning.
Outfielders Bryan Reynolds, acquired in the Andrew McCutchen trade, and Jason Martin, part of their return for Gerrit Cole, will be in big league camp next month when the Bucs report to Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla. So, too, will infielders Kevin Newman, Kevin Kramer and Cole Tucker, three of the club's top prospects.
• Kramer rounds out Top 10 on 2B prospect list
Reynolds is the club's No. 4 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Tucker ranks seventh, Newman eighth, Kramer 11th and Martin 19th. Right-hander Yeudy Garcia, Pittsburgh's No. 22 prospect, was also on the list of 23 players invited to Major League camp.
The Pirates invited 10 non-roster pitchers to camp, a mix of prospects and Minor League free agents: right-handers Tyler Eppler, Garcia, Tyler Jones, Damien Magnifico (selected in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft), Brett McKinney, Alex McRae, Richard Rodríguez (a previously announced Minor League free-agent signing), Casey Sadler, Bo Schultz and John Stilson.
Catchers Jin-De Jhang, Christian Kelley and Jackson Williams will return to provide depth in big league camp, as they did a year ago. Joining them will be catcher Ryan Lavarnway, a Minor League free agent who has played in the Majors for the Red Sox, Orioles, Braves and A's. Lavarnway, 30, could fit into the Pirates' plans behind catcher Jacob Stallings in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Newman and Kramer, two of the Pirates' top three Draft picks in 2015, figure to form the double-play combination in Triple-A this season. Newman was in Major League camp last season and made it to Triple-A, and he could be ready for Pittsburgh later this year. Kramer, a first-time invitee and MLB Pipeline's No. 10 second-base prospect, took a big step forward in Double-A before a fractured hand interrupted his season.

Tucker, the Pirates' first-round pick in 2014, was promoted to Double-A Altoona last season after a strong start for Class A Advanced Bradenton. The switch-hitting 21-year-old slashed .275/.358/.408 between the two levels last year.
Infielders Eric Wood and Erich Weiss, both likely bound for Triple-A, will be back in big league camp along with the versatile Pablo Reyes, who played second base, shortstop and center field last season in Altoona.
The Pirates' non-roster outfielders are Reynolds, Martin and Todd Cunningham, a previously announced Minor League signing. Reynolds should begin the season in Double-A, while Martin could start in Double-A or Triple-A.
Reynolds, 22, slashed .312/.364/.462 with 10 homers for Class A Advanced San Jose in the Giants' system last season. Martin, 22, hit .278 with an .819 OPS between two levels. The other four players acquired in the McCutchen and Cole trades -- third baseman Colin Moran and right-handers Joe Musgrove, Michael Feliz and Kyle Crick -- will be in big league camp as members of the 40-man roster.