January 23rd, 2020 at 3:05 pm 
by Ron Cervenka Early Thursday afternoon, the Dodgers announced who their non-roster invitees to Major League spring training 2020 would be, of which there are 21. Listed alphabetically they are:
This list is made up of three catchers, four infielders, five outfielders, and nine pitchers.
Although it is doubtful that any of the 21 will actually make the Dodgers Opening Day roster, there are several names on this list that are definitely worth keeping a close eye on this spring (and beyond). Among them are middle infielder Jeter Downs and right-hander Josiah Gray, both of whom were acquired in the deal that sent outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, left-hander Alex Wood (who is now back with the Dodgers), and catcher Kyle Farmer to the Cincinnati Reds on December 21, 2018. The Dodgers also receive veteran right-hander Homer Bailey in the trade but immediately released him.
Downs was a first-round draft pick by the Reds in 2017 out of Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, FL. With the Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, he posted a slash line of .269/.354/.507/.862, earning him a promotion to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers in August of 2018. With the Drillers, he slashed a remarkable .333/.429/.688/1.116, albeit in only 12 games at that level.
As for the (very) hard-throwing Gray, who was drafted by Cincinnati in the second round of the 2018 draft out of LeMoyne College in Syracuse, NY, he began the 2019 season with the Dodgers Low Single-A Great Lakes Loon where he went 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his five games, all starts.
And then he got really good.
Following his promotion to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in May of 2019, all the 6-1/190-pound (yeah, right) extremely hard-throwing right-hander did in his 12 games (all starts) was post an insane 7-0 record with an equally insane 2.14 ERA, while striking out 80 and walking only 13. After his July 2019 promotion to Tulsa, Gray continued with his dominance, posting a 3-2 record and 2.75 ERA in his nine games (eight starts) in the Texas League.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
In all likelihood, the New Rochelle, NY native will begin the 2020 campaign at Triple-A Oklahoma City. However, there is an exceptionally good chance that he will see major league action with the Dodgers at some point during the 2020 season. You heard it here first.
Play Ball!
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I’m looking forward to seeing Downs and Gray make it to the Dodgers soon.
Would love to see Gray transition to a closer at AAA with the goal to quickly supplant Jansen if Baez can’t cut it.
I doubt that Baez can cut it, but I also doubt that it’ll come up. What I expect to see is Kenley back in his old form.
I wish I could say the same. I watched him closely all of last year, and from his early dismissals of concerns [ “I ain’t worried about it” ], I felt KJ was trying to cover up a sudden loss of confidence with bluster. Nothing that happened throughout the year changed my mind, and he often had that ‘deer in headlights’ look about him. Many of his saves were nail biters; his previous dominance nowhere in sight. Dave obviously felt the same in postseason.
Until he’s not, I’m sorry to think that Jansen as closer is the weak link on this team moving ahead.