The group of Los Angeles Dodgers non-roster invitees to 2024 Spring Training featured a mixture of prospects, veterans with MLB experience and organizational depth candidates.
Included were T.J. McFarland, Kevin Padlo and Michael Petersen. None of the three players were previously reported as having signed with the Dodgers this offseason.
Overall, the Dodgers have 20 non-roster invitees due to join them in Spring Training this year.
They’ll report to Camelback Ranch in early February as the Dodgers open camp earlier than normal because of playing a condensed Cactus League schedule prior to departing for the Seoul Series.
Dodgers signings
T.J. McFarland
McFarland has been in the Majors for parts of 11 seasons, including with the New York Mets last year. Though that only amounted to pitching 1.2 innings over three relief appearances.
While pitching at the Triple-A level for both the Mets and Orioles organizations last season, McFarland had a combined 2.30 ERA.
McFarland was selected by the then-Cleveland Indians in the fourth round of the 2007 Draft, but made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2013.
The left-hander has additionally pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals in his career. McFarland is a lifetime 24-16 with a 4.14 ERA, 4.20 FIP and 1.47 WHIP across 354 games (three starts).
Kevin Padlo
Padlo also has MLB experience, though only a combined 26 games over the past three seasons. Padlo made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, and has additionally played for the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels.
Padlo was picked by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. The Murrieta, California, native hasn’t made much impact in scattered opportunities at the Major League level, but performed relatively well throughout the Minors.
The 27-year-old batted .261/.384/.450 with 24 doubles, 13 home runs and 50 RBI for Triple-A Salt Lake last season. Overall across parts of four seasons at the Triple-A level, Padlo has hit .251/.348/.461 with 65 doubles, 54 home runs and 186 RBI.
Padlo has plenty of versatility, which the Dodgers value, as he’s capable of playing first base, second base and third base.
Michael Petersen
Petersen spent all of the 2023 season in the Rockies organization. He began the year with Double-A Hartford Yard before earning a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque at the beginning of July for the rest of the season.
With the Hartford Yard Goats, the right-hander went 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 relief appearances. Petersen then pitched in 22 games for the Isotopes, going 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA.
Petersen was born in the United Kingdom and pitched for Great Britain in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
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