The Padres’ Non-Roster Invitees Matter More Than Ever This Spring

Spring training is just a few weeks away, as the Padres have announced their list of non-roster invitees to the Peoria complex. Given the lack of depth on the current MLB roster and the losses the team suffered this offseason, these invitees could end up playing a larger role on the Opening Day roster than initially expected.

The group features 28 players, representing a mix of homegrown prospects, veteran free agents and aging prospects fighting for their final chance to make a roster. Within that mix, general manager A.J. Preller will be searching for Opening Day bench depth and starting pitching, while also evaluating which players could emerge as midseason call-up candidates.

Here is the official group:

Catchers

Ronaldo Durán
Blake Hunt
Anthony Vilar
Ethan Salas

Infielders

Francisco Acuña
Marcos Castañon
José Miranda
Romeo Sanabria

Outfielders

Clay Dungan
Pablo Reyes
Nick Solak
Samad Taylor
Jase Bowen
Carlos Rodriguez
Nick Schnell

Right-Handed Pitchers

Sean Boyle
Manuel Castro
Evan Fitterer
Logan Gillaspie
Triston McKenzie
Francis Peña
Ethan Routzahn
Justin Yeager

Left-Handed Pitchers

Omar Cruz
Marco Gonzales
Jagger Haynes
Ryan Och
Jackson Wolf

Several names stand out immediately, and for good reason. Preller made a clear effort to stock the non-roster invitee group with players who have a realistic chance to contribute at the MLB level. With payroll capped this offseason, the organization has been forced to find cost-effective ways to improve, and contributions from this group would help offset the losses suffered this winter.

Among the catchers, prospect Ethan Salas stands out. The 19-year-old is coming off his most difficult minor league season at Double-A San Antonio. He logged just 32 at-bats while dealing with a stress reaction in his lower back and posted a .544 OPS.

As a result, Salas fell out of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list after ranking as high as No. 8 in 2024.

This spring offers him a chance at a reset. A strong showing could quickly push him back into top-prospect conversations. The Padres could certainly use that help, as current catchers Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin have concerning upside as above-average offensive contributors.

Among the infielders, Francisco Acuña stands out as a player who needs to breakout soon if he hopes to earn MLB at-bats. He may not be a third Acuña brother, but perhaps he can channel some energy associated with the iconic name.

The 25-year-old held his own at Double-A San Antonio last season, posting a .708 OPS before earning a promotion to Triple-A El Paso, where he dominated. He slashed .362/.452/.667, flashing legitimate MLB potential and positioning himself for another jump with a strong spring. His ability to play third base could be valuable as Manny Machado is expected to see more time at DH in 2026.

Samad Taylor is another intriguing addition after joining on a minor league deal. He has three brief MLB stints under his belt and brings elite speed, with 273 career stolen bases in the minors. That profile gives him a real chance to carve out a role as a pinch runner.

On the pitching side, one left-hander and one right-hander stand out as candidates who could not only make the roster but also earn a spot in the rotation. With J.P. Sears and Randy Vásquez both projected for ERAs north of 4.80, starting pitching presents the clearest opportunity for a non-roster invitee to break through.

The left-hander is Marco Gonzales, who is only a few seasons removed from throwing 180 innings at the major league level. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla will look to help Gonzales rediscover the form he showed from 2020-24, when he recorded three seasons with double-digit wins and ranked among the league leaders in walks per nine innings.

The other arm is former Guardian Triston McKenzie. Like Gonzales, McKenzie has shown he can dominate as a major league starter. While he is now a few seasons removed from his peak, he represents another lottery ticket for Niebla to potentially turn into a major success.

McKenzie’s career highlight came in 2022, when he won 11 games, threw 191.1 innings and posted a 2.96 ERA.

It will be a crucial spring for the Padres as they attempt to fill out a roster depleted by a difficult offseason. This group of non-roster invitees represents one of the organization’s best chances to find cost-effective contributors heading into 2026.