JR Ritchie, Owen Murphy Among Braves' 2026 Invitees Boosting Gwinnett Triple-A

JR Ritchie and Owen Murphy topped the Atlanta Braves’ 24-player non‑roster invitee list that the club circulated in mid‑February, moves that immediately strengthen the pitching pipeline available to the Gwinnett Stripers at Triple‑A. JustBaseball’s Feb. 14 primer noted the list “turned heads” and positioned these invites as meaningful for Gwinnett’s depth as spring training ramps up in North Port, Florida.

Non‑Roster Invitees play a clear role in that process. Baseball‑connect explains, “Non‑Roster Invitees, or NRI’s, are players that MLB teams invite to spring training but that are not on the 40‑man roster.” Baseball‑connect adds that clubs play nearly every day from mid‑February until April in almost seven weeks of games, and NRIs both “play to impress their own MLB club and also play to impress other MLB clubs.” NRIs are often inexpensive because their contracts are non‑guaranteed and are commonly used to fill utility infield/outfield, backup catcher, 5th starting pitcher, and bullpen spots.

The Braves’ full 24 non‑roster invitee list, reproduced from the team press release via Battery Power on Feb. 16, included 10 pitchers, 3 catchers, 7 infielders, and 4 outfielders. The pitchers were Garrett Baumann, Carlos Carrasco, Javy Guerra, Elieser Hernández, James Karinchak, Owen Murphy, Martín Pérez, Austin Pope, JR Ritchie, and Tayler Scott. The catchers were Jair Camargo, Sandy León, and Chadwick Tromp. The infielders were Tristin English, John Gil, Jim Jarvis, Alex Lodise, Aaron Schunk, Luke Waddell, and Luke Williams. The outfielders were José Azócar, Ben Gamel, Brewer Hicklen, and DaShawn Keirsey Jr.

JR Ritchie arrived with profile and pedigree. Battery Power called Ritchie “a consensus Top 100 prospect,” and JustBaseball wrote, “Ritchie features a deep arsenal of four to five pitches, with strong metrics on his fastball, slider, and changeup.” The organization showcased Ritchie last July when he pitched in the 2025 MLB All‑Star Futures Game; the photo caption reads, “ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: JR Ritchie #24 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the 2025 MLB All‑Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images).”

Owen Murphy’s invite carries a comeback narrative. JustBaseball notes Murphy was “a prep arm drafted 15 picks ahead of Ritchie in 2022,” and that “like Ritchie, Murphy underwent elbow surgery and returned late last season.” In seven starts between the Complex League and High‑A, Murphy posted a 1.19 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, and 10.1 K/9, numbers JustBaseball called “extremely impressive,” while cautioning that “a 2026 debut may be aggressive” and suggesting Murphy “could be firmly in the conversation by 2027.”

The roster mix contrasts with last year’s more necessity‑driven approach. The primer recalled that heading into spring 2025 the Braves made only one notable signing in Jurickson Profar and faced bullpen, rotation, and outfield uncertainty as Ronald Acuña Jr. rehabbing his knee. This year’s volume and names drew a different reaction across Braves Country, Battery Power called the group “a decent mix of top prospects looking to make a splash and veteran longshots looking to latch onto a roster for Opening Day.”

Historical context tempers expectations. FanGraphs warned that “only a very small percentage” of NRIs break with the team at camp end and that an NRI must be added to the 40‑man roster for Opening Day. Still, with the Braves inviting high‑ceiling arms and veterans into major league camp this month, Gwinnett gains immediate, experienced depth and a chance to showcase several pitchers who could be on the organization’s radar for 2026 and beyond.