Making the Team: Two Angels Non-Roster Invitees To Watch

By Bobby DeMuro
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Updated: February 12, 2015

Hope springs eternal every February as all 30 Major League clubs invite non-roster players to compete for spots on the big league roster. The vast majority of those players are either young prospects who will end up in the minor leagues for another season or two, or veterans in the twilight of their career, hoping to catch on and extend their playing days as far as possible.

Not surprisingly, the vast majority of non-roster invitees either wind up down on the farm, or released before the season begins to pursue opportunities with other clubs. Nevertheless, these non-roster players can sometimes make a big impact on a team’s season in unexpected ways. Today, CaliSports News looks at two intriguing non-roster invitees to spring training with the Los Angeles Angels.

Jackson Williams gets soaked. [Image via @Rockies]

Jackson Williams
A first-round pick of the Giants in 2007, catcher Jackson Williams made his major league debut in 2014 with the Colorado Rockies, hitting .214 with a home run in only 16 plate appearances. The long-time Giants farmhand collected 2,439 plate appearances in the minor leagues over the last 8 seasons, hitting just .224/.308/.336. However, his 37% caught stealing percentage could help the Angels if Drew Butera falters in the backup role to starter Chris Iannetta.

Williams certainly won’t play 100 games in the big leagues this season, but as far as catching depth is concerned, his strong-arm and defensive talents lend themselves to a potentially solid backup option at catcher for a team that just traded away Hank Conger.

Ryan Wheeler at AAA Salt Lake. [Image via @SaltLakeBeisbol]

Ryan Wheeler
A third basemen by trade, Ryan Wheeler is another member of the 2014 Rockies new to Anaheim in 2015 (he joins Taylor Featherston, Josh Rutledge, and the above-mentioned Williams). Blocked at third base in Colorado by the presence of Nolan Arenado, Wheeler has only seen 225 plate appearances in the big leagues spanning the last three seasons, hitting .233/.280/.335.

In the minors, across 6 seasons, Wheeler has shown more pop and a better average, slashing .305/.363/.460 with 154 doubles and 67 home runs across 2,752 plate appearances including 102 PAs with the Angels’ AAA affiliate in Salt Lake in 2014.

Although David Freese is all but a lock to start at third base this season, he is a free agent after the year, leaving a void at third base that Wheeler and others may need to fill. And, depending on how 2015 goes for the Angels, Freese may still be an interesting trade chip if the Angels feel they still need more rotation help.

Ultimately, Wheeler isn’t the short-term solution or the long-term solution at third base (that role is likely reserved for Kyle Kubitza), but as a left-handed hitter with a track record of minor league success, he may have an opportunity to get some quality at-bats for the Angels in 2015.

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