Rockies Spring Training: Jon Gray headlines non-roster invitees

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Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Real baseball news has arrived, as the Colorado Rockies announced their non-roster invitees this week.

All eyes will be on the pitcher who is expected to be a savior.

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2013 first round pick Jon Gray headlines the list of Spring Training non-roster invitees for the Rockies. Here’s a look at that list, found at the Denver Post, and which players have a real chance to make the 40-man roster.

1. Jon Gray

As mentioned, this is where everybody will start on this list. It seems impossible to overstate the pressure on Gray at this point. Even with a number of indicators that we should pump the brakes and quit expecting this guy to be an ace upon arrival, there is still this lingering hope that Gray is going to arrive and be the young stud pitcher the Rockies never have.

Gray is still the top prospect in the organization and still could be great, but if he ends up being a reliable, no. 3 starter, would we actually be disappointed? Hopefully we would know better.

Will he make the team out of Spring Training? Nope. And I don’t think the Rockies want him to, as indicated by the additions of David Hale and Kyle Kendrick. A September call-up seems like a realistic timetable, but I would be comfortable with Gray’s big league debut coming in 2016.

2. John Axford, Rafael Betancourt

Old, is the blunt and rude way one would describe the potential fixtures in the back of the 2015 Rockies’ bullpen. Experienced and savvy, are two adjectives one could use to more politely say that these guys are old.

LaTroy Hawkins will close, at least initially, but I am inclined to think that Axford or Betancourt could end up in that role at some point during the season. If you forced me to predict, I would say that Axford is going to enjoy a bounce-back season that will coincide with the inevitable regression of Hawkins in his final season. I say Axford is the closer by June 1st.

As for Betancourt, provided that he is healthy he could provide an immediate upgrade over any number of guys who struggled last year (including the lovable but run-down Matt Belisle). Adam Ottavino will be the stud and the primary set-up man, but given the miles on his arm from 2014 and the beatings that the bullpen takes each year, it never hurts to have reinforcements. Our old friend Rafael could prove awfully useful in that capacity.

Will they make the team out of Spring Training? I will say that Axford will and Betancourt will not. It would be unwise to take Betancourt’s health and effectiveness for granted, so here’s betting that he starts the year in the minor leagues.

Next: Trevor Story, Yohan Flande, and the rest

Jun 25, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Yohan Flande (58) walks off the field during the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

3. Yohan Flande

The veteran lefty earned something of a cult following last season, and rightfully so. If you are willing to hold your nose when you look at his 0-6 record and 5.19 ERA last season, his FIP was sitting right at league average at 4.00 and he was just kind of a pleasant surprise in an otherwise horrid season.

You would hardly call him a breakout candidate because of that disconnect between his ERA and FIP, especially in such a small sample overall, but Flande was nevertheless a somewhat stable presence during 2014 when he was called upon. Whether that says more about Flande or the state of the Rockies is another topic altogether.

Will he make the team out of Spring Training? No, but we will see our old friend again sometime this season as the attrition of a 162 game season sets in and the Rockies still need to buy time for their young pitching prospects.

4. Trevor Story

The 22-year-old infield prospect had an up-and-down 2014, but then he lit the Arizona Fall League on fire for a stretch, restoring some hype and excitement…not that he ever should have lost it, really.

Given our general impatience with prospects, it is good to remember that Story is still working through the growing pains. But as a top shortstop prospect in an organization that has injury-prone-subject-of-all-trade-rumors Troy Tulowitzki in that spot, we should keep an eye on Story.

Will he make the team out of Spring Training? No, but it is good to see him on the list of non-roster invitees.

5. The others

From obscure veterans to youngsters, here are the rest of the names (again, courtesy of the Denver Post).

Pitchers

Buddy Boshers
Jason Gurka
Aaron Laffey
John Lannan
Kenny Roberts
Kraig Sitton
Jair Jurrjens
Brett Marshall
Justin Miller
Scott Oberg
Jose Ortega
Gus Schlosser

Guys to watch: Jurrjens, though we know better than to hope for too much from the former Braves stud after last season. We will see Schlosser eventually in the bullpen, methinks. Buddy Boshers has to be the best alliterative “B” name since Boof Bonser.

Position players

Omar Quintanilla – IF
Roger Bernadina – OF
Matt McBride – IF/OF/C/everything?
Ryan Casteel – C
Dustin Garneau – C
Tommy Murphy – C
Audry Perez – C

Guys to watch: I’m interested in Murphy and in any catcher, really. If Quintanilla or Bernadina play meaningful roles for the Rockies this season, something has gone wrong.

Will they make the team out of Spring Training? I don’t think so? But remember…baseball is weird and weird things happen under the excited glow of Spring Training.

Next: Who is David Hale?

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