Nats invite 22 non-roster players to big league camp

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have invited 22 non-roster players to participate in big league camp, a group that includes a host of veterans with major league experience and a handful of prospects who aren't yet on the organization's 40-man roster.

Among the veterans who signed minor league contracts and were extended big league invitations are:

* Javy Guerra, who made 40 relief appearances for the Nationals last season with a 4.86 ERA and 1.248 WHIP and then pitched in a pair of World Series games.

* Right-handers David Hernandez (4.12 ERA, 24 saves in 547 career big league games with the Orioles, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Angels and Reds) and Kevin Quackenbush (4.38 ERA, eight saves in 203 career appearances with the Padres and Reds).

* Left-handers Fernando Abad (3.67 ERA, 1.285 WHIP in 384 career games with the Astros, Nats, Athletics, Twins, Red Sox and Giants) and Sam Freeman (3.62 ERA, 1.417 WHIP in 264 appearances with the Cardinals, Rangers, Brewers, Braves and Angels).

* Catcher Welington Castillo, who has a .254 batting average, .313 on-base percentage, 98 homers and 339 RBIs in 10 major league seasons with the Cubs, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Orioles and White Sox.

* Outfielders Emilio Bonifacio (.256/.313/.333, 166 stolen bases in 11 seasons with the Diamondbacks, Nationals, Marlins, Blue Jays, Royals, Cubs, Braves and White Sox) and Mac Williamson (.203/.282/.348 in five seasons with the Giants and Mariners).

* Two-way player JB Shuck, who opened last season as the Pirates' starting center fielder but later played both the outfield and served as a left-handed reliever for Triple-A Indianapolis.

* Utilityman Brandon Snyder, the Centreville, Va., native who spent two of the last three seasons playing for the Nationals' Triple-A club.

Among the Nationals' prospects who were extended big league invitations are:

* Infielder Luis Garcia, who was in camp last spring as an 18-year-old and then spent the season at Double-A Harrisburg.

* Right-hander Wil Crowe, rated the organization's fourth-best prospect by Baseball America.

* Reliever Dakota Bacus, who had nine saves and a 3.51 ERA in 47 games with Harrisburg and Triple-A Fresno last season.

* Catcher Jakson Reetz, a third round pick in 2014 who hit 13 homers in 96 games for Single-A Potomac last year.

Along with the full 40-man roster, these non-roster invitees give the Nationals a total of 62 players in major league camp to open the spring, with more additions likely to come along the way.

Here's the full list of non-roster players who will be in camp:

RIGHT-HANDERS: Bacus, Bryan Bonnell, Crowe, Paolo Espino, Jhonatan German, Guerra, David Hernandez, Quackenbush, Derek Self

LEFT-HANDERS: Abad, Freeman

CATCHERS: Castillo, Taylor Gushue, Reetz

INFIELDERS: Garcia, Snyder, Drew Ward, Jacob Wilson

OUTFIELDERS: Bonifacio, Yadiel Hernandez, Shuck (also a LHP), Williamson