Wow! 38 With Independent Baseball Experience Invited to Train with MLB Teams...So Far

The 17 onetime Independent Baseball players healthy and still in major league spring training camps when the sport shut down in mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic seemed certain all along to be part of re-opening rosters.  Add in another five who are on 40-man rosters but had been optioned plus 16 invitees and the non-affiliated leagues have a total of 38 players due to report for the second spring training session starting this week.

This total still could climb a bit since some of the 30 teams are well short of the 60-man roster limit at this point.

IndyBaseballChatter.com has identified the full list of players who will be on the 30-man active rosters or on the so-called "taxi" squad when play begins late in July.  The players with their major league affiliation and their former Independent teams:

Pitchers (30)--#Fernando Abad, Washington (Long Island, Atlantic League); #Tim Adleman, Detroit (Lincoln and El Paso, American Association; New Jersey, Can-Am League; Long Island); *Nick Anderson, Tampa Bay (Frontier Greys and Rockford, Frontier League); #David Carpenter, Cincinnati (Bridgeport, Atlantic); #Ross Detwiler, Chicago-AL (York, Atlantic); *Randy Dobnak, Minnesota (Utica, United Shore League); Wilmer Font, Toronto (Ottawa, Can-Am); #Luis Garcia, Texas (Newark, Can-Am); 4*Zac Grotz, Seattle (Bridgeport and York plus Washington, Frontier);  Junior Guerra, Arizona (Wichita, American Association); Rich Hill, Minnesota (Long Island); *James Hoyt, Cleveland (Wichita plus Yuma and Edinburg, North American League); Brandon Kintzler, Miami (St. Paul, American Association, and Winnipeg, Northern League); #Parker Markel, Los Angeles-AL (Sioux City, American Association); #Tyler Matzek, Atlanta (Texas, American Association); *Chris Martin, Atlanta (Grand Prairie, American Association); 4Chris Mazza, Boston (Southern Maryland, Atlantic, and San Rafael, Pacific Association); #Brian Moran, Toronto (Bridgeport); *James Paxton, New York-AL (Grand Prairie); #Alex Powers, Cincinnati (New Jersey); 4Trevor Richards, Tampa Bay (Gateway, Frontier); *Tanner Roark, Toronto (Southern Illinois, Frontier); Chaz Roe, Tampa Bay (Laredo, American Association); *Max Scherzer, Washington (Fort Worth, American Association); #D. J. Snelten, Tampa Bay (Chicago, American Association); Robert Stock, Philadelphia (New Jersey plus Normal, Frontier); #Caleb Thielbar, Minnesota (St. Paul); #Nik Turley, Pittsburgh (Somerset, Atlantic); Marcus Walden, Boston (Lancaster, Atlantic); 4Eric Yardley, Milwaukee (Trinidad and Taos, Pecos League).

Catchers (3)--4Mercedes Yermin, Chicago-AL (Douglas and White Sands, Pecos, and San Angelo (United League); #Rene Rivera, New York-NL (Camden, Atlantic); #Josh Thole, New York-AL (New Britain, Atlantic).

Infielders (4)--Jose Martinez (also OF), Tampa Bay (Rockford); #John Nogowski, St. Louis (Sioux City);  #Brandon Snyder, Washington (Southern Maryland); Ildemaro Vargas, Arizona (Bridgeport).

Outfielder (1)--David Peralta, Arizona (Wichita and Amarillo, American Association, and Rio Grande Valley, North American).

*First professional game was in an Independent league
4Is on 40-man major league roster but had been optioned to minor leagues
#Invited to training camp

Veteran St. Louis reliever John Brebbia (Sioux Falls and Laredo, American Association) will not be playing because he is on the 60-day injured list.