LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — There are usually at least one or two non-roster invitees at Braves spring training who have a legitimate chance to make the opening-day roster, but this year there are many more who might have at least a decent shot at making the club.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez named some of them Thursday after the team’s first full-squad workout. He was asked about non-roster invitees and ticked names off the top of his head, most or all of whom he said he called personally this winter before they signed with the Braves.
He mentioned left-handed starter Eric Stults, relievers Jose Veras, Matt Capps and lefty Brady Feigl, second baseman/utility player Kelly Johnson, outfielder Eric Young Jr., and catcher John Buck, and said he probably was leaving some out.
“For me those guys have really, really got a good chance to make the club,” said Gonzalez, who also previously discussed another non-roster lefty, Wandy Rodriguez, who’s another leading candidate along with Stults for the fifth-starter job.
Gonzalez had a little extra praise for Young, who is vying for a backup outfielder or platoon left-field job with Jonny Gomes.
“I think the world of Eric Young,” he said. “He can really bring a different dynamic that we haven’t had here since Michael Bourn, leading off against right-handed pitching or whatever you want to do. So that’s an exciting non-roster invitee, really.”
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