The Dodgers are one of the most talented organizations in the game of baseball and the journey to win the next World Series has already begun. Spring Training is underway and every player on the 40-man will automatically be at Spring Training and involved with the Big League camp. But, the club also has several others that aren’t on the 40-man that have also been invited to participate in the Big League Camp as well, and that’s who we are going to focus on today.

Today’s article will focus only on the pitchers, our next episode will focus on the position players. 

Non Roster Invitees

Pitchers

•  Matt Andriese
• Dylan Covey
• Tyler Cyr
• Robbie Erlin
• Bryan Hudson
• James Jones
• Landon Knack
• Adam Kolarek
• Bobby Miller
• Nick Nastrini
• Jake Reed
• Nick Robertson
• Taylor Scott
• Gavin Stone
• Wander Suero
• Jordan Yamamoto

Catchers

• Hunter Feduccia
• David Freitas
• Patrick Mazeika

Infielders

• Jahmai Jones
• Devin Mann

Outfielders

• Drew Avans
• Yusniel Diaz
• Steven Duggar
• Jason Heyward
• Ryan Ward
• Luke Williams
• Bradley Zimmer

Surprises?

Every Spring Training brings surprises, but probably the biggest surprise looking at this list is that many Dodgers fans might not have realized that Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone haven’t actually been put on the 40-man roster yet.

Gavin Stone: Small Town, Huge Vision

Stone was the Dodgers Minor League Pitcher of the year last year  and Miller is the Dodgers #1 prospect, so it would be an easy assumption to make that they are on the 40-man.

Those 2 have gotten a lot of pub and if you need more on them, I have several videos and articles that you can read or view. As  “non-roster” invitees, Miller and Stone will participate the same as every other MLB pitcher with the Dodgers, so fans will get to see them with their own eyes, pitching against Major Leaguers, so that is exciting. 

When you watch Stone, make sure and stand directly behind him because, to understand what makes him so good, you need to see how much his stuff moves. His stuff has all the velo and all the metrics, but what separates it is the movement he gets. 

Bobhy Miller hit 102 last year, and some say his fastball isn’t his best pitch. He also has a changeup, slider and curveball, so, his ceiling is as high as he wants to make it. 

When watching Miller, watch how well he commands, and sometimes controls his pitches to the glove side, because that, in my opinion, is his key. 

When he has control to the “glove-side” he is very good, but when he “commands” the glove side locations, it takes him to a level that possibly no other pitcher can reach, and one that can dominate even the best hitters in the game. 

Landon Knack: 4 Plus Pitches

Landon Knack is one to keep your eye on, because he has always been one of the highest rated prospects in the system, but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. So, he’s entering 2023 needing a full year of health to show that his 4 pitch mix is still worthy of the high accolades it gave him as a top prospect early in his career. 

Nick Nastrini: Stronger Than Ever!

Nick Nastrini is one of the fastest risers not just in the Dodgers organization, but, of any young pitcher in the game. Nastrini came to the Dodgers from UCLA, and is stronger than ever. 

Nastrini has a 4 pitch mix with a big fastball, a slider, change and a curveball, so his stuff is legit. The big deal with him, like almost all young Dodgers pitchers, will be his command. When he masters the strike zone he gets outs and quickly, so watching his command is one of the biggest things to look out for at Spring Training this year. 

Nick Robertson: Velo and Versatility

Nick Robertson is another young talented pitcher that is much better than his numbers would suggest. Robertson is a 3 pitch pitcher, fastball-slider-change, that sites 94-95 and has easy power. At 6’6, he still hasn’t tapped into the “easy power” his motion and big body have the potential to give him.

Robertson is one that Dodgers fans should pay very close attention to, because the rubber is going to meet the road for him this year. He is going to get some looks at the MLB level, and he needs to fully tap into his potential and let it eat, and show everyone just how good he actually is. 

Jake Reed had another scoreless outing for OKC & has yet to give up a run in his 7 innings since joining the team. He has struck out 9 during that time and has just 3 walks. Here is every pitch of his first inning. He threw 11 sinkers at 92-93 and 4 sliders at 83-84. #dodgers pic.twitter.com/ebo4dDyo2p

— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) August 17, 2022

Jake Reed will be back at Big League camp and will be looking to carve out a role again with LA. He was picked up off of waivers last year during the off-season and threw 16.2 Major League innings.

If you get a chance to watch Reed, watch his sinker. He’s another guy that you need to sit directly behind, because his sinker is 92-94, which won’t blow the radar gun away, but watch how it sinks and if he’s able to use the pitch to move the ball away from barrels. He also has a slider and a unique delivery, so he will be one that will be interesting to watch, because he will get opportunities at MLB innings, just like he did last year. 

Wander Suero retired

Paul Goldschmidt
Nolan Arenado
Yadier Molina

in order today.#Wandervision // #NATITUDE pic.twitter.com/JCdWDix9y1

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 14, 2021

Wander Suero is a 31 year old that comes to the Dodgers with 185.1 Major League innings. He signed last year with the Angels as a Free Agent, and was released by them, then was also released by Sultanes De Monterrey in the Mexican League, so he is definitely a reclamation project, something of which we know the Dodgers love. 

Suero has thrown as many as 4 pitches in the past with a 4-seam, changeup cutter and a curveball and he sits low 90’s. That combination makes him one that will be interesting to follow, because his velo isn’t elite, so which way will the Dodgers go? Will they keep all 4 of his pitches, or will they cut down on the mix and use advanced data to have him throw fewer pitch types, but a higher % of the pitches that show to be the most effective. 

Keep an eye on his progress and the direction the club chooses to go with his stuff. 

Rowdy Tellez (2)

Opponent: Miami Marlins
Pitcher: Jordan Yamamoto
Date: 8/12/20 pic.twitter.com/tgoAoYYSMQ

— TOR Home Runs (@TOR__HR) February 4, 2023

Jordan Yamamoto, similarly to Suero, comes to the Dodgers with MLB experience, the most recent being 2021. His numbers have ballooned a touch in the last 2 years, especially his average against, so the Dodgers are going to try and rekindle the stuff that led to his .191 average against in 2019. 

Yamamoto has been playing in the Mets organization since 2021, and has thrown as many as 6 pitches in the past, so he brings a big basket for the Dodgers to choose from in terms of the mix they want to focus in on for him as a Dodger.

Again, like Suero, his 4 Seam is in the low 90’s and he has paired that with sinker, cutter, slider, change and curveball. 

The Dodgers love these veteran type of guys that have a big basket of options in terms of pitch mixes to focus on, so keep an eye on Suero and Yamamoto.

Hope you enjoyed our coverage of who to look out for in Spring Training, and in the next edition we’ll cover the position players to keep an eye on, and we hope that you check that out too.

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