Bart, Hjelle headline non-roster invitees to camp

For the second straight year, San Francisco Giants’ top prospect Joey Bart headlines the group of non-roster players who received an invitation to the team’s spring camp.

Bart, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, leads a list of 18 players who will report to Scottsdale Stadium beginning in the second week of February. The Giants’ second round pick in 2018, Sean Hjelle, is the top non-roster pitching prospect who received an invitation to spring training this year.

Each member of the team’s 40-man roster will begin the spring in camp with the Giants and it’s inevitable that president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi will add to the group that was announced Monday.

Neither 2017 first round draft choice Heliot Ramos nor 2019 first round draft pick Hunter Bishop received a non-roster invitation to Giants camp, meaning both will open the spring in minor league camp.

Three players on the list, infielders Cristhian Adames and Zach Green, and outfielder Joey Rickard, spent time in the big leagues with the Giants last season.

It’s unlikely Bart will break camp with the Giants and secure a spot on the Opening Day roster, but switch-hitting catcher Tyler Heineman should have a strong opportunity to make an impression and potentially earn a backup role under first-year manager Gabe Kapler.

Heineman announced on Twitter on Monday that he agreed to a minor league deal

with the Giants. The 28-year-old UCLA product owns a career .363 on-base percentage over eight minor league seasons and went 3-for-11 in a limited stint with the Miami Marlins last year.

The omission of Ramos, who reached Double-A in 2019, from the list announced Monday indicates the Giants are determined to give the 20-year-old outfielder as many at-bats as possible this spring. Ramos would have to split time in a major league outfield during the spring whereas he’ll have more opportunities in a minor league camp setting.