Red Sox Invite 14 Non‑Roster Players to Spring Training, Emphasize Triple‑A Depth
The Red Sox invited 14 non-roster players to major league spring training to vet candidates for MLB roles and to lock down Triple-A depth for the 2026 season.
The Boston Red Sox invited 14 non-roster players to major league spring training, a move that clarifies which veterans and near-majors will battle for big-league looks and which will likely anchor Triple-A depth to start 2026. The list, issued in a Jan. 23 press release, mixes catchers, outfielders and arms who logged significant Triple-A time in 2025 and puts a spotlight on organizational depth maps ahead of camp.
Catcher Nate Baez arrives fresh from a Jan. 21 trade with the Minnesota Twins that sent Tristan Gray to Boston. Baez, in his first MLB spring camp, hit .278 with a .794 OPS across High-A and Double-A in 2025. His acquisition and invite are tied to recent Triple-A and MiLB roster shuffling and position the 2025 performer as immediate depth behind Boston’s catching options or as a first-in-line Triple-A backstop.
Veteran Triple-A contributors headline the list. Nathan Hickey played 128 games for Triple-A Worcester in 2025, hitting .234 with 17 home runs and 75 RBI, and will return to camp as a known quantity for first base and corner outfield depth. Braiden Ward split time between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque, producing a .290 average and swiping 57 bases while showing a strong on-base profile in parts of 2025. Ward’s speed and contact work make him a clear candidate for late-season callups or to man a top-of-order role at Triple-A.
On the mound, Seth Martinez offers multi-level experience. Martinez made 41 appearances for Triple-A Jacksonville in 2025, posting a 3.71 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 43.2 innings, and he also made major league appearances for Miami. Right-handers Wyatt Olds and other listed arms bring additional Triple-A innings from Worcester and other affiliates, reinforcing the depth chart for April injuries or bullpen workloads.
For Triple-A beat writers and front offices, the invite list functions as a practical blueprint. Non-roster invites reveal who will be evaluated against major league players in camp and who is likely to receive opening-day assignments at Worcester, Albuquerque or Jacksonville. The presence of catchers like Baez and Hickey, a high-steal commodity in Ward, and high-leverage bullpen options like Martinez reflects a strategic emphasis on controllable depth, speed on the bases, and serviceable pitching resources.
Beyond roster mechanics, the list underscores broader industry trends: clubs conserving payroll through internal depth, valuing multi-level performers, and leaning on Triple-A veterans to bridge service-time and injury gaps. For players, spring camp offers visibility and mobility; for fans in Worcester, Albuquerque and Jacksonville, the invites foreshadow which familiar faces might anchor the local lineup in April. Expect intense competition in Sarasota as these 14 non-roster players chase Major League opportunities while effectively shaping Boston’s Triple-A landscape for 2026.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
