February 6, 2015 at 2:21 PM
Owens, Johnson among eight invited to Red Sox spring training
The Red Sox announced that they will welcome eight more players as non-roster invitees to major league camp in spring training. The players invited include SoxProspects.com's second-ranked prospect, left-hander Henry Owens (pictured), and fellow lefty Brian Johnson, who is ranked sixth. It is Owens' second big league camp, while it will be Johnson's first.
The other invitees will be shortstop Deven Marrero, Cuban right-hander Dalier Hinojosa, righty reliever Noe Ramirez, catcher Matt Spring, righty Keith Couch and infielder Jemile Weeks. It will be Marrero's third-straight invite to big league camp. It is the second time Hinojosa and Ramirez have been invited, while Spring and Couch will be attending for the first time. Weeks played 14 games for Boston in 2014 after being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in a waiver trade for Kelly Johnson and Michael Almanzar.
Spring is notable as he has spent 10 years in the minor leagues and has never played in the majors. Spring turns 30 in November and was featured by Tim Healey of SoxProspects.com last year. He was drafted in 2004 by Tampa Bay when they were still the Devil Rays in the fourth round out of Dixie State College of Utah. He joined the Red Sox organization in 2010, playing for Salem, Portland, Pawtucket, as well as in the Dominican Winter League. The right-handed hitting catcher and first baseman has amassed 2,532 plate appearances in his minor league career. Spring hit .241 with 8 home runs and 30 RBI 137 at-bats between Portland and Pawtucket in 2014.
These eight join eight other non-roster invitees that were previously announced by the team: catchers Luke Montz and Humberto Quintero, 1B/OF Bryan LaHair, infielder Jeff Bianchi, speedy outfielder Quintin Berry, starting pitcher Felipe Paulino, and relievers Mitchell Boggs and Dana Eveland.
Photo Credit: Henry Owens by Kelly O'Connor