Justin Crawford is one of the top prospects in the Phillies organization. (Cheryl Pursell)
Friday, the Phillies released their list of 27 non-roster invitees to Spring Training next month in Clearwater.
For those unclear, a non-roster invitee is someone not currently on the 40-man roster that's invited to Major League camp. Some of these are minor league players who will ultimately be optioned to begin the season somewhere in the Phillies' farm system. Others are veterans essentially trying out for the Phillies, ones that may or may not remain in the organization if they don't crack the Opening Day roster.
(To be clear, there are some prospects, such as Andrew Painter, that are already on the 40-man roster and therefore don't appear on this list, even though they will be in Major League camp.)
Here's a look at some of the most notable non-roster invitees:
Justin Crawford: The former first-round pick will enter camp as the favorite to be the starting center fielder. The 22-year-old hit .334 with 46 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season. He'll obviously need to be added to the 40-man roster if he does indeed make the Opening Day roster.
Génesis Cabrera: Half a decade after he hit Bryce Harper in the face with an errant pitch, Cabrera will be trying out to be his teammate. The left-handed reliever appeared in games for the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins last season. Now 29, Cabrera has a 4.24 ERA across 312 career MLB appearances.
Aidan Miller: He may not be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster, but Miller definitely seems to be in play in 2026. A first-round pick in 2023, Miller spent the bulk of last season at Double-A Reading, though he did get an eight-game cup of coffee at Triple-A Lehigh Valley to end the season. He doubled 27 times, stole 59 bases and posted an .825 OPS in 2025. He's a natural shortstop, but with Trea Turner at that position, the Phillies will likely have Miller play elsewhere during ST. Third base and second base are the most likely spots, but it would be interesting to see if the 21-year-old could hold his own in left field.
Bryan De La Cruz: Phillies fans are familiar with De La Cruz, who has homered 58 times in parts of five MLB seasons. He's primarily played for the Miami Marlins, but more recently appeared for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves. For what it's worth, the 29-year-old outfielder has hit .301 with eight homers and 40 RBIs in 46 games in the Dominican Winter League.
Aroon Escobar: A 21-year-old infielder who is from Venezuela, Escobar begin the 2025 season at Single-A Clearwater, before being promoted to High-A Jersey Shore and Double-A Reading. Across 120 total games, he hit .270 with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs and a .774 OPS. He's going to be a name to watch in 2026, whether it's because he pushes towards the majors or winds up being someone the Phillies trade for an established veteran in July.
New Phillie Tim Mayza was a Phillies fan growing up. He talked about who his favorite players were and what it will be like to pitch at Citizens Bank Park for the home team.
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/d5J4A3kQKB
Tim Mayza: A graduate of both Upper Perkiomen High School and Millersville University, Mayza appeared in eight games for the Phillies down the stretch of the 2025 season. The left-handed reliever was on the NLDS roster, but didn't appear in four games against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dante Nori: The Phillies selected Nori with the 27th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. The Canadian outfielder hit .308 in eight games in the Arizona Fall League, which followed up a 2025 season where he posted a .732 OPS across three levels of the minors, finishing the season at Double-A Reading.
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To be clear, the Phillies can still add additional NRIs before or during Spring Training.
Pitchers and catchers are set to work out for the first time on Feb. 11.
