Yankees spring training: A closer look at the Yankees' 2017 non-roster invitee pitchers

The Yankees have finally released their list of 23 non-roster invitees, giving us an idea of who will be in spring training this year and what the team thinks of some players in the organization. Counting their 40-man roster, the Yankees will have at total of 63 players in camp. Included in that count are 11 pitchers who will each get a chance to impress this spring.

Left-Handed Pitchers

Daniel Camarena
Age as of Opening day: 24
2016 stats (AAA/AA/A+): 3.68 ERA, 7.2 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9, 141.2 IP, 29 G/22 GS

This will be Camarena’s last season before he is eligible for minor league free agency. At this point, the Yankees likely see him as a left-handed swingman who could get some innings at some point during the season.

Jason Gurka
Age as of Opening Day: 29
2016 stats (COL): 9.31 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9, 9.2 IP, 6 G

Gurka is one of the few players the Yankees decided to sign this offseason. He put up good numbers in the minors in the Colorado Rockies organization, but was never able to establish himself in the majors over the last two years. The Yankees must like something about him and think they can unlock the secret, otherwise I doubt they would have bothered.

Joe Mantiply
Age as of Opening Day: 26
2016 stats (AAA/AA): 2.73 ERA, 10.5 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, 0.3 HR/9, 59.1 IP, 56 G

Mantiply is a left-handed reliever who put up impressive numbers in the Detroit Tigers system. He was selected off waivers by the Yankees, designated for assignment, and then re-signed. Mantiply will likely serve as depth at the Triple-A level but could get some innings in the Bronx if he continues to pitch well in Scranton.

Jordan Montgomery
Age as of Opening Day: 24
2016 stats (AAA/AA): 2.13 ERA, 8.7 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 0.3 HR/9, 139.1 IP, 25 GS

One of the team’s best starting pitchers, Montgomery could see time in the majors this season. It has yet to be determined how good he will be, but he likely has more upside than Luis Cessa and Chad Green. We should get a sense of how far away he is depending on how he does this spring.

Evan Rutckyj
Age as of Opening Day: 25
2016 stats (AA/A-): 3.60 ERA, 11.7 K/9, 8.1 BB/9, 0.0 HR/9, 10.0 IP, 10 G/3 GS

Rutckyj was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2015 Rule 5 Draft. He was returned to the Yankees and missed time last year before becoming a free agent. The Yankees re-signed him, considering him a potential situation lefty over the course of the season.

Justus Sheffield
Age as of Opening Day: 20
2016 stats (AA/A+): 3.09 ERA, 9.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 0.4 HR/9, 125.1 IP, 25 GS

Sheffield is just 20 years old and already saw time in Double-A last year. Conservative estimates give him another year or two before he will be considered a major league piece. His invite this year gives him a chance to gain experience against advanced hitters and acclimate himself to his new organization.

Right-Handed Pitchers

Chance Adams
Age as of Opening Day: 22
2016 stats (AA/A+): 2.33 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 0.6 HR/9, 127.1 IP, 25 G/24 GS

The organization’s standout pitcher of the year will get a chance to impress against big league hitters this spring. Given the shallow depth of the Yankees rotation, Adams has a real chance to see major league action this season.

J.P. Feyereisen
Age as of Opening Day: 24
2016 stats (AA): 1.70 ERA, 12.0 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, 0.5 HR/9, 58.1 IP, 42 G

Acquired in the trade that brought the Yankees Clint Frazier, Feyereisen has a real chance of making the majors this year. This spring will be a good chance to see the new addition, let’s just hope he turns out better than the organization’s other young relievers.

James Kaprielian
Age as of Opening Day: 23
2016 stats (A+): 1.50 ERA, 11.0 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, 0.5 HR/9, 18.0 IP, 3 GS

Kaprielian is highly regarded around baseball, however, he missed almost the entire 2016 season because of an elbow injury. He returned to the mound for the Arizona Fall League, so he should be healthy and ready to go at this point. There’s just no telling how much playing time Kap will see this spring.

Brady Lail
Age as of Opening Day: 23
2016 stats (AAA/AA): 4.62 ERA, 5.3 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9, 126.2 IP, 24 G/24 GS

Things did not go well for Lail last year. After defying the odds for a few years, the bottom seems to have fallen out on him with his strikeout rates dipping below 6.0 K/9. Lail relies on generating ground balls, so the Yankees are likely looking into how effective he can be against major league talent.

Nick Rumbelow
Age as of Opening Day: 25
2016 stats (AAA): Pitched in one game

After just one game in 2016, Rumbelow went down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. The Yankees released him earlier in the offseason but re-signed him soon after. Since he’s likely still recovering, his invitation seems somewhat questionable.

The Yankees didn’t bring in any veterans, so it all comes down to a group of pitchers under 30 years of age. Non-roster invitees often end up serving as minor league depth, waiting for their chance. Hopefully the lack of experience doesn’t hurt the Yankees when it comes time to call someone up.