Pirates announce additional non-roster invitees

Brandon Cumpton (RHP) - Missed the entire 2016 season recovering from right elbow surgery performed in 2015…Has a 5-5 career record and 4.02 ERA (100.2ip/45er) in 22 appearances (15 starts) in his big league career with the Pirates (2013 & 2014).
Cody Dickson (LHP) - Took home Double-A Altoona Pitcher-of-the-Year honors while spending the entire 2016 season with the Curve...Finished seventh among Eastern League hurlers in ERA (3.66)...Posted double digit win totals for the second straight season while also finishing tied with Trevor Williams and Clay Holmes for the fifth-most wins (10) among Pirates farmhands…Was Pittsburgh's 4^th round selection in the 2013 Draft.
Frank Duncan (RHP) - Ranked third among Pirates farmhands in ERA (2.34), tied for first in wins (12) along with Austin Coley and finished sixth overall in strikeouts (116) while splitting the 2016 season between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis…Was Pittsburgh's 13^th round selection in the 2014 Draft.
Tyler Eppler (RHP) - Spent the entire 2016 season with Double-A Altoona, where he was named to the Eastern League's mid-season All-Star team...Led all Eastern League hurlers and the Pirates organization in innings pitched; the 162.1 innings was also the second-most in a single-season in Curve history...Established a career high in wins, which was also tied for 10th in the league…Was Pittsburgh's 6^th round selection in the 2014 Draft.
Jared Lakind (LHP) - Spent the entire 2016 season with Double-A Altoona while being named to the Eastern League mid-season All-Star team...Established a new Curve single-season record with 25.1 consecutive scoreless innings from 5/1 to 6/23, surpassing Derek Hankins' previous mark of 24.0 innings...Finished tied for third among Pirates farmhands in appearances (47) and ninth in the Eastern League in that department.
Casey Sadler (RHP) - Missed the entire 2016 season recovering from "Tommy John" surgery performed in 2015…Made last appearance in a game on 6/21/15 while pitching for Indianapolis…Has made seven appearances (one start) in his big league career…Was Pittsburgh's 25^th round selection in the 2010 Draft.
Angel Sanchez (RHP) - Spent the entire 2016 season recovering from "Tommy John" surgery performed in 2015…Tied for the second-most wins (13) among all Pirates farmhands in his first full season with the organization in 2015...Made his last appearance in a game on 8/7/15 while pitching for Indianapolis.
Edgar Santana (RHP) - Pitched at three different levels in the Pirates organization in 2016 and went 4-1 with a three saves and a 2.71 ERA (79.2ip/24er) in a career-high 43 appearances…Participated in the Arizona Fall League and did not surrender a run in nine appearances (13.2ip) with the Surprise Saguaros; also recorded 18 strikeouts and shared team lead with three saves.
Jin De Jhang (C) - Hit a combined .288 (60-for-208) with 14 doubles, one home run and 23 RBI in 60 games between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2016…Hit .319 (15-for-47) with three doubles and seven RBI and a .389 on-base percentage in 14 games for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League.
Christian Kelley (C) - Hit a combined .248 (72-for-290) with 14 doubles, two home runs, 33 RBI and 33 runs scored in 86 games between West Virginia and Single-A Bradenton in 2016...Spent a majority of the 2016 season with West Virginia...Threw out 36 percent (40-of-111) of the runners attempting to steal against him with the Power, which ranked fifth among South Atlantic League backstops.
Jacob Stallings (C) - Spent a majority of 2016 with Indianapolis, where he hit .214 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 80 games…Set minor league career highs in games played and doubles (17)…Made 74 starts behind the plate, three shy of his career-high of 78 with Bradenton in 2013…Also went 6-for-15 with a double and two RBI in five games with the Pirates.
Jackson Williams (C) - Attended spring training in 2016 as a non-roster invitee with Colorado...Hit a combined .199 (45-for-215) with 10 doubles, one triple, one home run and 20 RBI in 68 games between Hartford (Rockies' AA) and Albuquerque (Rockies' AAA)…Was originally drafted by San Francisco with the 43rd overall selection in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft...Was rated by Baseball America as the "Best Defensive Catcher" in San Francisco's minor league system in 2007, 2008 and 2010...Was also rated by the same publication as the "Best Defensive Catcher" in the Eastern League in 2009 and the Pacific Coast League in 2010.
Kevin Newman (INF) - Enters 2017 rated by Baseball America as Pittsburgh's fifth-best prospect and as the "Best Hitter for Average" in the Pirates minor league system...Led all Pirates minor leaguers in batting average (minimum 300 at bats) while splitting the 2016 season between Single-A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona...Hit a combined .320 (127-for-397) with 21 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 52 RBI and 65 runs scored in 102 games between Bradenton and Altoona…Was Pittsburgh's first round selection (19^th overall) in the 2015 Draft.
Jason Rogers (INF/OF) - Spent a majority of the 2016 season with Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit .263 with 18 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 40 RBI in 105 games…Also saw action in 23 games with the Pirates…Made a total of nine appearances in the field with Pittsburgh; five at first base (three starts) and four at third base.
Erich Weiss (INF) - Spent the entire 2016 season with Double-A Altoona, where he was named the club's Iron Man of the Year...Was named to the Eastern League post-season All-Star team at second base...Finished second among Pirates farmhands and tied for third in the Eastern League with a career-high nine triples; also tied for the fifth-most by a Curve player in a single season...Finished tied for third among Pirates farmhands in RBI, 10th in batting average and tied for fifth in games played…Was Pittsburgh's 11^th round selection in the 2013 Draft.
Eric Wood (INF) - Spent the entire 2016 season with Altoona, where he was named the club's Unsung Hero along with teammate Jonathan Schwind...Was named to the Eastern League post-season All-Star team...Hit a career-high 16 home runs, which was tied for the second-most among all Pirates farmhands and tied for sixth in the Eastern League (hit a total of 15 in his first four professional seasons)...Was tabbed by Baseball America as the "Top Defensive Third Baseman" in the Eastern League by league managers and coaches in the publication's annual Best Tools edition in early August…Hit .330 (29-for-88) with five doubles, three home runs and 20 RBI in 23 games while playing for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League...Was named to the Arizona Fall League All-Prospect team...Led the Arizona Fall League in RBI while also finishing second in hits, fourth in total bases (43) and sixth in batting average…Was Pittsburgh's 6^th round selection in the 2012 Draft.
Barrett Barnes (OF) - Took home team MVP honors for Altoona while spending his first full season at the Double-A level in 2016...Ranked fifth in the Eastern League in on-base percentage, sixth in batting average and OPS (.853), seventh in slugging percentage and tied for eighth in triples...Finished second among all Pirates farmhands in batting average (minimum 300 at-bats) behind Kevin Newman (.320)...Hit .249 through his first 70 games through July 4 before hitting .378 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 31 RBI over his final 54 games…Was selected by the Pirates in the supplemental round (45^th pick overall) in the 2012 Draft.
Austin Meadows (OF) - Enters 2017 rated as Pittsburgh's No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America...Was also rated by the same publication as the "Best Athlete" and having the "Best Strike Zone Judgment" in Pittsburgh's minor league system…Entered the 2016 season ranked by Baseball America as Pittsburgh's second-best prospect and as the 22nd-best overall (leapt to No. 10 in Baseball America's mid-season report)...Also entered the season rated as the fourth-best outfield prospect by MLBpipeline.com...Hit a combined .266 (82-for-308) with 25 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 87 games between Altoona, Triple-A Indianapolis and the West Virginia Black Bears (rehab)… Was named the Eastern League's Most Exciting Player by Baseball America in early August…Was selected by the Pirates ninth overall in the 2013 Draft as compensation for not signing Mark Appel from the 2012 Draft.
Danny Ortiz (OF) - Hit a career-high 17 home runs while spending the entire 2016 season with Indianapolis…Led all Pirates minor leaguers in home runs…Hit .236 with 19 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs and 57 RBI in 130 games with Indianapolis…Finished third among Pirates farmhands in games played in 2016…Was a 2016 non-roster invitee to spring training with the Pirates.