In addition to everyone on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox will welcome 20 non-roster invitees to big league camp. That includes 12 pitchers, a group that features a handful of big league veterans, familiar faces looking for another shot, some up-and-comers and even a former Rookie of the Year.
Though the non-roster arms will face long odds to make the team, there are typically a couple of success stories that emerge each spring. So with camp set to begin next week, here is a quick primer on each of this year’s non-roster pitchers.
Austin Adams
Adams was a key player in the Athletics’ bullpen last season, posting a 3.92 ERA with 53 strikeouts over 41.1 innings, and overall he has eight seasons of MLB experience. The 33-year-old’s season was cut short in August due to right forearm tendinitis, but the right-hander subsequently signed with Boston on a minor league deal.
Isaiah Campbell
The first external addition of Craig Breslow’s tenure as chief baseball officer, Campbell made last year’s Opening Day roster but saw his season quickly fly off the rails due to injury. The right-hander was brought back this offseason on a minor league deal and will look to re-establish his place in Boston’s bullpen.
Yovanny Cruz
One of the hardest throwers in minor league baseball, Cruz has touched 101 mph on the radar gun but has also battled command issues throughout his career. The 25-year-old right-hander has yet to pitch above Double-A and spent last season with the Padres’ affiliate, posting a 4.55 ERA with 35 strikeouts over 29.2 innings. Prior to that he spent seven years in the Cubs organization, whose pitching infrastructure at the time was overseen by Breslow.
Noah Davis
Davis struggled last season with the Rockies, posting a 5.75 ERA in 20.1 MLB innings and a 5.77 ERA in 68.2 innings at Triple-A. The 27-year-old right-hander will most likely provide additional depth for the Red Sox in Triple-A.
Michael Fulmer
Easily the most accomplished among Boston’s non-roster pitchers, Fulmer is a former Rookie of the Year and All-Star who has battled frequent injury woes throughout his career. The 31-year-old right-hander signed a two-year minor league deal with the Red Sox in 2024 and spent all of last year rehabbing from elbow surgery. Fulmer most recently pitched out of the Cubs bullpen in 2023, posting a 4.42 ERA in 58 appearances.
Bryan Mata
Formerly one of Boston’s top pitching prospects, Mata has dealt with one injury setback after another since signing as an international free agent in 2016. Last year the righty was limited to 22.2 innings over 11 appearances, posting a 4.37 ERA. Mata was designated for assignment following the season and brought back on a minor league deal.
Wyatt Mills
Originally acquired in exchange for Methuen’s Jacob Wallace in 2023, Mills got off to a strong start in spring training before suffering an elbow injury that necessitated Tommy John surgery. The Gonzaga alum has now missed the last two seasons but remained with the Red Sox after signing a two-year minor league deal prior to 2024. The right-hander spent last season rehabbing and will now have a chance to get back on the mound and rebuild his career.
Jovani Moran
Acquired from the Twins in exchange for Mickey Gasper earlier this offseason, Moran has three seasons of big league experience and posted a 4.15 ERA in 91 innings for Minnesota between 2021-23. The left-hander’s best year came in 2022, when he posted a 2.21 ERA with 54 strikeouts over 40.2 innings. Moran underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2023 season and did not pitch last year.
Sean Newcomb
A graduate of Middleborough High, Newcomb was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft and has eight seasons of big league experience under his belt. The 31-year-old left-hander most recently pitched for the Athletics, appearing in 10 games in June after starting the year on the IL recovering from offseason surgery on both knees. He was designated for assignment in July and went unsigned for the remainder of the year.
Robert Stock
Stock pitched for the Red Sox in 2020 but has spent most of the last few years in independent ball. Last season the 35-year-old right-hander pitched in the Mexican League and posted a 3.38 ERA in 98.2 innings and 19 starts, and prior to that he had stops in the Atlantic League and in Korea.
Brian Van Belle
Since going undrafted in the five-round pandemic-shortened 2020 MLB Draft, Van Belle has steadily risen through the ranks and finished 2024 strong in the WooSox bullpen after a rocky start to the year in the rotation. The 28-year-old righty posted a 2.90 ERA in 59 innings following the switch, putting him in position to earn an invite to big league camp.
Jacob Webb
A 14th-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Webb spent most of last season in Double-A before earning a promotion to Worcester in early September. The 25-year-old right-hander posted a 4.95 ERA in 83.2 innings across both levels in 2024 and will most likely start the new season as minor league depth.
