Tampa Bay Rays add 5 non-roster invites to Spring Training roster

The Tampa Bay Rays have added 5 non-roster invites to their Spring Training roster. The group includes 4 pitchers and 1 infielder.

Emilio Bonifacio, INF, 33

Emilio Bonifacio was signed to a minor league deal by the Tampa Bay Rays who extended him an invitation to spring training. A journey man, Bonifacio has played for 8 different teams over his 11 year career int he Major Leagues. The utility man spent 2018 playing independent baseball in the Atlantic League.

He has compiled a career .256 AVG (669-2610) with 13 bombs and 166 stolen bases. He has been worth 4.1 WAR during his career and last played on a major league field in 2017, with the Braves.

2017 numbers with the Braves:

38 G // 38 AB // .132 AVG // .150 OBP // .211 SLG // -7 OPS+

Don’t expect anything to come of this move, in fact it is likely just for added depth.

Casey Sadler, RHP, 28 

The Rays recently added the longtime Pirate on a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. 2018 marked the end of a long recovery post Tommy John surgery. He will get the chance to break camp with the club if everything goes well in spring training.

I wrote an in-depth piece about the righty yesterday and you can can read about him here.

Cole Sulser, RHP, 28 

A career minor leaguer who came to the Rays as part of the Yandy Diaz and Jake Bauers trade. Sulser has good swing and miss stuff, maintaining a 13.59 K/9 rate in 2018 at AAA. He will get a chance to break camp with the Rays and finally make it to the bigs, but first he will have to beat out a handful of young guns.

Like Sadler, I wrote an in-depth piece regarding Sulser which you can read here. 

Ricardo Pinto, RHP, 25

Add Ricardo Pinto to the mix this spring when discussing the bullpen mix for 2019. Like Sulser and Sadler, Pinto will be vying for a spot down the right field line in Tropicana Field. The Rays signed get righty to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training.

He has major league experience as he pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017.

28.0 IP // 7.89 ERA // 25K/17BB // 7HR // 1.89 WHIP // 6.36 FIP

Last season he pitched with the Chicago White Sox AAA affiliate.

65.0 IP // 5.95 ERA // 46K/30BB // 1.71 WHIP

He obviously has control issues, but if he can cut down not the walks he may get a chance to pitch for the Rays in 2019.

Luis Santos, RHP, 27

Another reliever who will be trying to crack the 25-man opening day roster, Luis Santos has pitched in parts of two seasons with the Blue Jays.

He was good in 2017 for the Jays but couldn’t find the same success in 2018.

2017: 16.2 IP // 2.70 ERA // 16K/4BB // 169 ERA+

2018: 20.0 IP // 7.20 ERA // 24K/10BB // 59 ERA+

If he can rediscover some of that 2017 magic, he could break camp with the Rays and find himself pitching in some big moments.

Marc Topkin had these updates regarding camp:

Be sure to check out my ranking of the top 15 Rays pitching prospects!