On January 23, the Phillies announced which prospects, as well as which Minor League and MLB vets, would be going to Clearwater as non-roster invites for 2026 Spring Training. The list includes reliever options, plus three former first-round picks. Justin Crawford, who could make the team’s Opening Day roster, headlines the list.
The prospects
Three former first-round picks will be on the Phillies’ non-roster invite list: Justin Crawford, Aidan Miller, and Dante Nori.
Crawford is arguably the most notable of the group, given that the team hinted that the organization hopes he can claim a roster spot for 2026. He had a fantastic 2025 with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, as Crawford slashed .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs, 34 extra-base hits, and 46 stolen bases for the Ironpigs last season.
The 22-year-old, the son of former Major Leaguer Carl Crawford, posted one of the 20 lowest Whiff% (18% on swings) in Triple-A last season. He’s known for expanding the zone (34% Chase%), and he’s not a power hitter (3.1% Barrel%), either. However, Crawford is a plus runner who can create chaos.
Aidan Miller, the Phillies’ first-rounder from 2023, spent most of 2025 in Double-A Reading. The 21-year-old slashed .259/.382/.427 with 13 home runs, 40 extra-base hits, and 52 stolen bases. He ended 2025 with a nine-game cameo in Triple-A, where he picked up three extra-base hits and nine walks over eight games.
Miller is a high-contact hitter (24.0% Whiff% in Double-A), as well as one who can elevate (30.6% FB%) and hit for power. He walked a lot in Reading last season, as he received 73 free passes over 489 PA.
High take rate hitter, as he spat in pitches over 60% of the time last year. It will result in a lot of called strikes, and therefore, strikeouts (23.7% K%), although not as many compared to some of the more egregious players in the upper Minors.
Nori, meanwhile, spent most of 2025 with Low-A Clearwater. He received brief cameos with High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading to finish the year. Across 125 total games, Nori slashed .261/.361/.372 with four home runs, 34 extra-base hits, and 52 stolen bases.
Additionally, the Phillies will also send several other notable position player prospects, including rising infielder Aroon Escobar, Felix Reyes, and former Virginia Tech slugger Carson DeMartini.
Reyes was one of the most aggressive hitters in the Eastern League last season — but also one of the best. The 24-year-old slashed .335/.365/.527 with 15 home runs and 53 extra-base hits over 95 games. Very little swing-and-miss (22% Whiff%)
DeMartini (31.2% Whiff% in Double-A) was a big slugger in Virginia Tech, albeit one who struck out a lot in college. That rang true in the Minors, as the 23-year-old struck out 139 times over 119 games last season. He hit .202 (.579 OPS) in Double-A last season.
Bryan Rincon, Christian Cairo, Keaton Anthony, Caleb Ricketts, Kehden Hettinger, Dylan Campbell, and Andrew Bechtold will also be among the others in camp.
Other notables
The Phillies’ non-roster invite list also includes several former Major Leaguers. Catchers Rene Pinto & Mark Kolozsvary, infielder Liover Peguero, outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, plus pitchers Trevor Richards, Jonathan Hernandez, Bryse Wilson, Tim Mayza, Genesis Cabrera, and Michael Mercado are among the individuals headed to Clearwater with the big club.
Phillies fans will likely remember Mercado, who has bounced up and down between the MLB and Triple-A over the past few years.
The same can be said for Mayza, who pitched in eight regular-season games last year for the Phillies. Philadelphia claimed him off waivers in late August 2025. He was re-signed on a Minor League deal in January.
Both he and Genesis Cabrera will fight for a left-handed reliever role on the Phillies. However, an opportunity may not open up unless an injury arises. Currently, the Phillies’ tentative bullpen includes Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks, and Kyle Backhus.
De La Cruz, who spent time with the Marlins and Braves over the past few years, will fight for an outfield spot.
Check out more of our other MLB coverage.