Washington Nationals release list of Non-Roster invitees, Minor Leaguers in Spring Training...

The defending NL East champion Washington Nationals today announced all of their non-roster invitees to Spring Training. The list includes 17 players on Minor League deals with invitations to Spring Training and four players from the Minors who will be in big league camp.

The 17 players on Minor League deals with invites to Nationals’ Spring Training are right-handed pitchers Brady Dragmire, David Goforth, Edwin Jackson, Jaron Long, Ramon Mendez, Chris Smith, and Cesar Vargas, left-handers Tom Collins, Ismael Guillo, Bryan Harper, and Tommy Milone, catchers Miguel Montero and Jhonatan Solano, infielders Reid Brignac and Chris Dominguez, and outfielders Ryan Raburn and Moises Sierra.

The four Minor League players who will be in big league camp are right-hander Jimmy Cordero, catchers Taylor Gushue and Spencer Kieboom, and infielder Osvaldo Abreu.

SOME OF THE NEW NAMES:

David Goforth, 29, is a 2011 Milwaukee Brewers’ 7th Round pick who has made 31 relief appearances in the majors, with a 5.94 ERA, 4.90 FIP, 3.22 BB/9, and 8.17 K/9 over 36 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Ismail Guillon, who turned 26 today, spent seven seasons in the Cincinnati Reds’ system, splitting the 2017 campaign between Double and Triple-A with a 2.25 ERA, a 2.74 FIP, 6.19 BB/9, and 11.81 K/9 in 16 IP at Double-A, and a 5.20 ERA, 4.75 FIP, 5.87 BB/9, and 9.22 K/9 in 53 ²⁄₃ IP with the Reds’ top Minor League affiliate.

As the Nats noted in a press release today, in five of the last seven seasons, Guillon’s, “... changeup was rated by Baseball America as the best among Reds farmhands.”

Ramon Mendez, 27, spent the 2017 season with the Hanshin Tigers in the Japan Central League, posting a 6.52 ERA in eight games, four of them starts. Mendez then went 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA, six walks and 19 Ks over 10 games for Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League.

Righty Chris Smith, 29, debuted in the majors last season with Toronto after four seasons in the minors with New York (AL) and Toronto. In five innings pitched for the Blue Jays, he posted a 5.40 ERA, 5.96 FIP, 1.80 BB/9, and 1.80 K/9.

Cesar Vargas, 26, has seven major league appearances on his resume, all in 2016, over which he’s posted up a 5.03 ERA, a 4.82 FIP, 3.97 BB/9, and 7.41 K/9 in 34 IP.

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He spent the 2017 campaign at Double and Triple-A in the San Diego Padres’ system, with a 3.61 ERA, 2.83 FIP, 3.92 BB/9, and 10.36 K/9 in 57 ¹⁄₃ IP at Double-A and a 15.09 ERA, 6.72 FIP, 10.32 BB/9, and 9.53 K/9 in 11 ¹⁄₃ IP with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate.

Chris Dominguez, 31, spent the 2017 campaign with the Chicago Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate, where the infielder put up a .284/.323/.443 line with 22 doubles and 11 home runs over 102 games and 359 plate appearances.

Outfielder Moises Sierra, 29, has played a total of 180 games in the majors for the Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox.

He spent the 2017 campaign in the Miami Marlins’ system, posting a .294/.361/.438 line with 22 doubles and 11 home runs in 123 games and 422 PAs.

Pitchers and catchers report tomorrow (2/14) with position players set to report on February 19th, and the first full squad workout on 2/21, with the Nats’ first Grapefruit League game of the Spring set for 2/23.