Non Roster Invitee: Josh Ellis – Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks are hoping to do better then last year and while the biggest question this spring may be whether Brandon Webb is ready for the start of the season my biggest question is can any of their non roster invitees crack the roster this season?

Rodrigo Lopez is perhaps the best NRI bet to see time in the rotation, while Collin Cowgill is the teams highest prospect to appear in camp. Wes Roemer could see some action with the team this year but in what role I am not sure. Roemer, the 50th overall pick in 2007, has been a starter for his whole minor league career yet the Dbacks opted only to use him in rare late innings this spring before reassigning him.

Perhaps the best bet of those invited to break camp with the team is reliever Josh Ellis. At worst Ellis seems destined to start the 2010 season in Triple-A, a level he reached late last year and struggled at. Ellis was as good as there was in Double-A Mobile compiling a 1.94 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 48K/14BB ratio in 41.2 innings. In Triple-A things were pretty ugly as in 15 appearances he was torched to a 7.91 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP but he did manage 19K’s in his 19.1 innings of work.

Ellis isn’t highly thought of around baseball and most have him well away from the Dbacks top prospects which is usually the case with guys who project as middle relievers who aren’t considered closing material.

If Ellis can continue to improve his control, which was the biggest knock against him as his minor league career began, then he has a great chance to make the majors at some point this season. Though right now I’ll have to say he’s destined to start the season in Reno.