Blaze Jordan, Alex Binelas, Brendan Cellucci headline Red Sox NRI snubs
Pitchers and catchers report in Fort Myers in just nine days for the Red Sox. While there are still a few big names left out there in the free agent market yet to be signed, most teams are gearing to go into the season with what they currently have on their rosters.
The Red Sox gave out 19 non-rosters invites out across the organization. Most of those invites are guys projected to break camp in Worcester and a few are projected to break camp in Portland. However, not every player who is expected to start the year in Triple-A received an invite to big league camp this year. There were quite a few guys deserving of a big league invite to show what they can bring to the table in 2025.
Brendan Cellucci
The left-hander has been in Boston’s system since 2019, when he was drafted in the 12th round out of Tulane. Cellucci has always showed off his ability to miss the bats through every level of the Red Sox system. Over the last two seasons in Portland, the 26-year-old struck out 63 batters over 51 innings in 2023, and 84 batters over 58.2 innings in 2024. Over the 58.2 innings in 2024 in Double-A, Cellucci earned a promotion to Triple-A Worcester and appeared in five games for the WooSox.
One would think that Cellucci was a lock to receive a big league invite after showing an improved version of himself in Portland this year. He is projected to start the season in Worcester’s bullpen.
Alex Binelas
The 24-year-old has spent parts of three seasons with Portland and finally got a very small taste of Triple-A at the end of 2024. Binelas is projected to finally spend the year in Worcester after posting an OPS over .750 the last two seasons in Portland.
Binelas has a good opportunity ahead in 2025 to get plenty of playing time at first base in Worcester to begin the season. It is one of the many reasons why one would have thought the Louisville product would have received a non-roster invite to big league camp.
Blaze Jordan
Jordan had one of the most unlucky season of injuries that could happen to a player in 2024.
After landing on the IL two different times with unfortunate hand and face injuries, the 22-year-old never really got a chance to get into a solid rhythm between his IL stints. Jordan still appeared in 89 games for Portland at first and third base. He showed an improvement in the field at both spots after coming into last season in much better shape. The 2025 season will be one of the biggest ones yet for Jordan, which is why it is a surprise he didn’t receive an invite to big league camp.
Honorable Mentions
David Sandlin took part in the Red Sox Rookie Development Camp at Fenway this Winter. The 23-year-old is one of the top rated pitching prospects in the system and could’ve been an intriguing addition to the non-roster invites.
Grant Gambrell spent all of the 2024 season pitching out of Worcester’s starting rotation and proved to be very adequate at getting outs. While he isn’t a particularly hard thrower or a guy who racks up the strikeouts, the Oregon State product has shown flashes in stretches at the Triple-A level to warrant an invite to big league camp.
Tyler McDonough is a former 3rd round pick by Boston in the 2021 MLB Draft out of NC State. He spent the 2024 season bouncing between Portland and Worcester, but did ultimately getting to suit up in 35 games in Triple-A playing all over the diamond. His super utility role along with the fact that he switch-hits is a reason that McDonough could have been a late addition to the non-roster invites to big league camp.
