Non-Roster Invitees
Non-Roster Invitees are one of the integral parts of Spring Training. It is a chance to see future stars who still need development. For someone who is perhaps a fan of the Red Sox living on the West Coast, Spring Training might be the only time they can see a future star like Rafael Devers.
Speaking of Devers, he is having a spring to forget. Devers is hitting an atrocious .136. He has only gotten 3 hits in 22 at-bats. Also, Devers has 2 errors in only 15 total fielding chances.
Obviously Spring Training statistics always have to be looked at in a certain light. Even still, Devers has shot up the system over the last two years. While he is only 20 years old, it would have been nice to see him hit for average a little more. While a September call-up isn’t out of the question for him, it becomes much more unlikely.
There is good news on the NRI front, though. That would be the stellar spring that Sam Travis has had. Travis is in the top 10 for average this spring, hitting a great .351. Also, Travis has 3 homeruns, showcasing the power that he possesses. He has an insane 1.118 OPS, which puts him 2nd on the team among qualified players.
Next: Rodriguez is ready to pitch
Travis will start the season in Pawtucket. While some fans might want him to start at first for Boston this year, he will benefit from being able to play everyday down there. Also, he is still recovering from a torn ACL that happened in May of last year. With Mitch Moreland on a one-year deal, it seems highly unlikely that Travis is not the everyday first baseman coming into next season.