Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press
Detroit Tigers top prospect Spencer Torkelson has never played a professional baseball game, but the 21-year-old third baseman will be among the 15 non-roster invitees for big-league spring training later this month.
Other top prospects earning non-roster invites are outfielder Riley Greene, catcher Dillon Dingler, second baseman Kody Clemens and right-hander Zack Hess.
The Tigers announced Saturday their initial 55-player spring training roster — which includes the full 40-man roster — for major-league camp, along with 12 players — two catchers and 10 pitchers — invited to the club’s mini-camp at the TigerTown complex.
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Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report Feb. 17 to the facilities in Lakeland, Florida, with the team’s first full-team workout set for Feb. 22. The game schedule begins with an exhibition Feb. 26 against Southeastern University.
Torkelson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, is the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Greene is No. 4; Dingler is No. 8; Clemens is No. 18; and Hess is No. 30.
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Many of the team’s top 30 prospects are already members of the 40-man roster and will be in camp: Casey Mize (No. 2); Matt Manning (No. 3); Tarik Skubal (No. 5); Isaac Paredes (No. 6); Daz Cameron (No. 7); Joey Wentz (No. 9); Alex Faedo (No. 10); Jake Rogers (No. 12); Franklin Perez (No. 14); Beau Burrows (No. 15); Akil Baddoo (No. 25) and Zack Short (No. 26).
Those signed to minor-league deals this winter with invitations to camp: left-hander Derek Holland, right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, lefty Ian Krol and catcher Dustin Garneau. The Tigers plan to sign more players to minor-league deals leading up to the start of spring training.
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Tigers’ non-roster invitees
Pitchers (5): Zack Hess (RHP), Derek Holland (LHP), Ian Krol (LHP), Gerson Moreno (RHP), Erasmo Ramirez (RHP).
Catchers (3): Dillon Dingler, Dustin Garneau, Eric Haase.
Infielders (4): Kody Clemens, Daniel Pinero, Aderlin Rodriguez, Spencer Torkelson.
Outfielders (3): Riley Greene, Jacob Robson, Danny Woodrow.
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Additionally, these players will be invited to the mini-camp: Brady Policelli (C), Cooper Johnson (C), Nolan Blackwood (RHP), Drew Carlton (RHP), Ethan DeCaster (RHP), Jason Foley (RHP), Wladimir Pinto (RHP), David McKay (RHP), Andrew Moore (RHP), Logan Shore (RHP), Miguel Del Pozo (LHP) and Robbie Ross (LHP).
Evan Petzold is a sports reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.