Red Sox Add 10 Non-Roster Invitees to 2019 Spring Training Roster
The Boston Red Sox have added 10 non-roster invitees to the team's 2019 Spring Training roster: catchers Juan Centeno and Óscar Hernández; outfielder Gorkys Hernández; infielder Tony Renda ; and right-handed pitchers Zach Putnam , Erasmo Ramírez, Carson Smith , Josh Smith, Domingo Tapia , and Ryan Weber .
The Boston Red Sox have added 10 non-roster invitees to the team's 2019 Spring Training roster: catchers
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.
Gorkys Hernández, OF - Hernández, 31, has spent the past three seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization, appearing exclusively with the major league club in both 2017 (128 games) and 2018 (142 games). Last season, the right-handed hitter batted .234 (97-for-414) with 15 home runs, including .277 (72-for-260) with a .778 OPS before the All-Star break. Originally signed by Detroit in 2005 at the age of 17, the Venezuelan native has appeared in 374 major league games with the Pirates (2012, '15), Marlins (2012), and Giants (2016-18), making 155 starts in center field, 58 in left field, and 14 in right field. His lone postseason experience came in the 2016 Division Series against the Cubs, when he started Game 1 in center field and appeared in two other games as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement.
Óscar Hernández, C - Hernández, 25, attended 2018 Major League Spring Training camp with the Red Sox as a non-roster invitee and spent the entire season with Triple-A Pawtucket, batting .205 (31-for-151) and throwing out 17 of 39 attempted base stealers (43.6%) in 47 games. The Venezuelan native spent his first eight professional seasons in the Rays (2010-14) and Diamondbacks (2015-17) organizations, posting a 3.05 catcher's ERA in his 17 major league games (10 starts), all with Arizona from 2015-16. At the minor league level, Hernández has thrown out 41.0 percent of attempted base stealers (162 of 395). Selected by Arizona as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft, Hernández was named MVP of the Venezuelan Summer League in 2011 after winning the Triple Crown with a .402 batting average, 21 home runs, and 66 RBI.
Zach Putnam, RHP - Putnam, 31, missed the entire 2018 season recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in June 2017. Selected by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 2008 June Draft, the right-hander has appeared in 145 major league games-all in relief-with the Indians (2011), Rockies (2012), Cubs (2013), and White Sox (2014-17). In 130 games with the White Sox, he posted a 2.71 ERA (42 ER/139.1 IP) with 149 strikeouts, with lefties batting .228 (53-for-232) and righties hitting .210 (55-for-262) against him in that time. Putnam has pitched primarily in the later innings in his major league career, having made 61 appearances in the eighth inning and 34 in the ninth. He has faced 171 batters with runners in scoring position since the start of 2014, allowing zero home runs and holding opponents to a .196 batting average (27-for-138) in that situation.
Erasmo Ramírez, RHP - Ramírez, 28, missed a majority of the 2018 season due to a pair of stints on the disabled list. He made 10 starts with the Mariners and went 2-4 with a 6.50 ERA (33 ER/45.2 IP), including 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA (12 ER/29.1 IP) in a six-start span from August 12-September 9. Originally signed by Seattle in 2007, Ramírez has appeared in 192 major league games (92 starts) with the Mariners (2012-14, '17-18) and Rays (2015-17), going 32-39 with a 4.36 ERA (309 ER/637.2 IP). In 81 relief appearances since the start of 2016, the right-hander has posted a 3.81 ERA (49 ER/115.2 IP), including a 3.23 mark (11 ER/30.2 IP) in 2017. One of only 15 players in major league history born in Nicaragua, Ramírez is 13-8 with a 3.20 ERA (80 ER/225.0 IP) against AL East clubs, having posted a 2.05 ERA (6 ER/26.1 IP) in 11 games at Fenway Park.
Josh Smith, RHP - Smith, 31, split the 2018 season between the Mariners and Red Sox organizations, signing with Boston as a minor league free agent on May 15 after being released by Seattle. Each of his 22 appearances (11 starts) came at the Triple-A level with Tacoma and Pawtucket, as he went 5-8 with a 4.38 ERA (41 ER/84.1 IP), 90 strikeouts, and 19 walks. Smith allowed 13 earned runs in 7.1 innings over his first three outings with the PawSox, but in his final 15 games he posted a 2.84 ERA (21 ER/66.2 IP). With Pawtucket, he surrendered only one home run to the 143 right-handed hitters he faced. Selected by Cincinnati in the 21st round of the 2010 June Draft, Smith has appeared in 67 major league games (nine starts) for the Reds (2015-16) and Oakland A's (2017), going 5-8 with a 5.30 ERA (75 ER/127.1 IP) and 103 strikeouts.
BOSTON RED SOX NON-ROSTER INVITEES (10)
PITCHERS (6): Zach Putnam, Erasmo Ramírez, Carson Smith, Josh Smith, Domingo Tapia, Ryan Weber
CATCHERS (2): Juan Centeno, óscar Hernández
INFIELDERS (1): Tony Renda
OUTFIELDERS (1): Gorkys Hernández
BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (39)
PITCHERS (21):
CATCHERS (3):
INFIELDERS (11):
OUTFIELDERS (4): Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts,