Cincinnati Reds' 5 Non-Roster Invitees to Watch in Spring Training

The Cincinnati Reds are just 21 days from when pitchers and catchers report, and 27 days from the start of spring training.

And while the popular questions surrounding the health of superstars Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey will dominate the majority of headlines, there are several notable names listed on the Reds' non-roster invitees list worthy of your attention.

Five of the 20 non-roster invitees are currently listed as top-10 prospects for the Reds by Baseball America.

Because the Reds could still use pitching depth—both in the rotation and in the bullpen—these non-roster invitees in particular have a chance to not only impress and inspire confidence about the Reds' future, but possibly even make the MLB roster.

The following list of five non-roster invitees will begin with those least likely to actually make the team and end with someone who should have a legitimate opportunity.

1) Robert Stephenson, RHP

As a first-round draft pick in 2011 and the No. 1 prospect in the Reds organization, Stephenson's performance is notable whether he's ready to join the major league roster or not.

Stephenson finished 2014 in Double-A with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. His ERA at the end of the year was 4.74 with a 7-10 record in just over a 136 innings. 

While not the most encouraging, his minor league portfolio in three years is still impressive. He's 17-21 with a 3.79 ERA and 9.91 strikeouts per nine innings. That's probably how Stephenson retained his spot atop Baseball America's top-10 list of Reds prospects. 

Still, don't look for Stephenson to fill the back of the rotation any time soon. Despite a fastball that can touch triple digits, he's having issues with command. Steve Gardner of USA Today wrote: 

"

Stephenson has a big-time fastball that can touch 100 mph, but his control was a bit erratic as he walked 4.9 batters per nine innings. “He just needs a little more command and experience,” GM Walt Jocketty says. Stephenson will likely return to Pensacola to start the season, but should move up to Class AAA in short order.

"

2) Jesse Winker, OF

Perhaps the most anticipated arrival from the Cincinnati farm system, this high-profiled prospect has done nothing but succeed at every level thus far.

The left-handed slugger was a popular choice to fill the void in left field, but with only three years of professional minor league experience, it's probably best he continues to grow and succeed in the minors first.

And that he's done. In three years, Winker is slashing .297/.401/.489. He did struggle in his brief Double-A stint, slashing .208/.326/.351 in just 21 games for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. But his rebound in the Arizona Fall League once again generated anticipation among Reds fans. In 19 games, he slashed .338/.440/.559.

Steve Engbloom of Blog Red Machine adds the following in his recent evaluation of Winker and his ability to reach base: "He gets on base. One reason: He will take a walk. The lowest BB% he has posted at any level is 13.0 percent. That was in 2013 when he spent the entire season in Dayton. For his MiLB career, his BB% is 14.2 percent."

3) Nick Howard, RHP

Another first-round draft pick of the Reds (2014), this right-hander has just one year of experience for the Single-A Dayton Dragons, so there should be no expectation for Howard to be in uniform come Opening Day. 

Howard pitched in 11 games, starting five of them. In 33.2 innings of work, Howard went 2-1 with a 3.74 ERA and an impressive WHIP of 1.16. Because there isn't a lot of professional data on Howard, here is some scouting information featured by Bleacher Report's Mike Rosenbaum:

"

Control: 45/55

Projects for above-average control of at least two pitches out of the bullpen; trusts his stuff and attacks opposing hitters; consistently around the plate with fastball but too often works up in the zone; athleticism aids future control profile in either role; good overall feel for pitching with plenty of room for improvement.

 

Command: 40/50

Development of command will be crucial as a starter but is less important as a late-inning reliever; walks have never been an issue for the right-hander; both fastball and breaking ball command is slightly below average at the present; potential to be average with refinement in minor leagues.

"

According to this same scouting report, Howard stands a chance to crack the MLB roster in a late-bullpen capacity. Considering how terrible the bullpen was last year, I think that's plausible.

4) Michael Lorenzen, RHP

Lorenzen accounts for another right-handed arm dominating the top end of the Reds prospects list. Baseball America lists him as the No. 4 prospect in the Reds organization.

Lorenzen has two years within the Reds system, and he's impressed in both. He finished 4-6 with an ERA of 3.13 in 120.2 innings pitched at Double-A Pensacola. He sports a 5-7 record and a 3.11 cumulative ERA in about 141 innings of minor league work.

According to Manny Randhawa of MLB.com, he has a fastball with movement: "Lorenzen has a fastball that can reach the upper 90s with movement, a decent breaking ball and a changeup that he hasn't used much, but could become a larger part of his repertoire."

5) Felix Perez, OF

Felix Perez is not a first-round draft pick, but he is the most intriguing non-roster invitee. Perez may have a low profile now, but, per Rotoworld, he lost a $3.5 million deal with the New York Yankees for reportedly falsifying his age when he first tried entering MLB.

He's now 30 years old, and he has most certainly impressed in his time within the Reds system. Last year, the left-handed-hitting Perez slashed .280/.325/.450 in Triple-A. In now five minor league seasons, he's slashing a career .281/.329/.404. He had 12 home runs last year and 10 the year before.

The Reds clearly need depth on the bench, and Perez has been demonstrating for a while now that he's deserving of a look. Yet this will be the first time he's been invited to spring training.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.